Jerome Marion Winn

Jerome Marion Winn, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and respected member of the Ollie community, passed away peacefully at his home on December 13, 2024, at the age of 76. He was born on May 26, 1948, in Fairfield, Iowa, to Perry Vernon and Mary Lila Heston Winn. Jerome grew up in Ollie and attended Pekin High School. On December 2, 1967, he married Judy Bennison in Littleton, Colorado. Just three months later, he was drafted then later deployed to Vietnam.
Jerome served in the 19th Combat Engineers, Delta Company, stationed at LZ Thunder near Qui Nhon in South Vietnam. During his deployment, his company played a crucial role in constructing QL1, the first all-weather north-south road in Vietnam, which stretched 1,430 miles. They cleared jungles, built base camps, pipelines, ammunition dumps, airfields, and helipads, and conducted mine sweeps seven days a week. Jerome's dedication to his duties was exemplified through his honorable service during his 14-month tour in Vietnam, for which he received multiple military awards. His commendations included: - The **Valorous Unit Award** for displaying extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy of the United States. - The **Army Commendation Medal** for meritorious service while supporting allied counterinsurgency operations in the Republic of Vietnam, recognizing his exemplary performance while assigned to Company D, 19th Combat Engineer Battalion. His actions reflected the finest traditions of military service and brought credit upon himself, the 18th Engineer Brigade, and the United States Army. - The **Purple Heart Award** for his bravery and sacrifices made in the line of duty. - The **Leadership School Award** for excellent leadership in combat, operations, training, troop discipline, and morale. - The **Army Good Conduct Medal**, awarded for achieving character and efficiency ratings of excellent or higher throughout the qualifying period. - The **Vietnam Service Medal** with four Bronze Service Stars, awarded to those who served in Southeast Asia. - The **Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm Device**, awarded by the Republic of Vietnam to certain units of the U.S. armed forces for valorous combat achievement during the Vietnam War. In addition, Jerome received the **Army Marksmanship Qualification Badges** for Expert-Automatic Rifle and Marksman-Rifle. His legacy of service, patriotism, and commitment to the country will be cherished by all who knew him.
After returning to the states, Jerome and Judy moved to Rockford, Illinois, where he worked for Rockford Blacktop with heavy equipment for building roadways. In 1974, Jerome Winn Bulldozing was founded, then later expanded to include excavating and tiling in 1977. Jerome's love for the land led him to buy his first farm in 1978, a passion he pursued for the rest of his life. In the late 1970s, his adventurous spirit prompted him to pursue a private pilot's license and purchase an airplane. He took many family and friends on memorable flights, ranging from trips to Muscatine to pick up melons to fishing excursions in Canada. In 2010, Jerome took over the management of the Semco Landfill. He dedicated himself to his community, serving as a long-time member of the Jackson Township Fire Department, where he held the position of fire chief for several years. Jerome also served as the mayor of Ollie for a brief period and the Ollie Lions Club. His commitment to service was further exemplified by his 50+ year membership in the Richland American Legion Post. He was also a devoted member of Prairie View Church in Ollie. An avid shopper on Temu, Jerome enjoyed giving away copper cross bracelets while witnessing for the Lord. He found joy in the simple pleasures of life, such as fishing, relaxing on his front porch, spending time with his grandkids, enjoying the company of good friends, smoking cigars, and most of all, cherishing quality time with his family. He was known by his family for his "Jerome Winn Training Camp," which involved family-bonding and team-building exercises like picking up sticks and rocks in the field. Jerome reminded us to, "sow good seeds" referring to doing what is right in God's eyes. His favorite season was fall, the wind transformed the soybean fields into a flowing wave of silver beauty.
Jerome's memory will be forever cherished by his loving wife, Judy; his daughters, Dana Miller (Jeff) of Ollie, Deven Menninga (Dave) of Grinnell, and Jill Amber Winn of Ollie; and his beloved Brandy. He is also survived by his siblings, Larry Winn (Diana) of Tucson, AZ, and Judy (Dr. Bob) Riether of Tuba City, AZ, his stepsiblings; Janice, Tish, and Bobby. His nine grandchildren-Drew Powers (Cory Barth), Cal, Lila, and Hayden Miller, Jackson and Brycen Horras, Lauren Sylvester (Colton Comstock), Jacob, and Isaac Sylvester. He was preceded in death by his parents, Perry (who died when Jerome was 6 years old) and Mary Winn, as well as several aunts, uncles, and extended family members.
Visitation for Jerome will take place at Cranston Family Funeral Home in Fairfield on Thursday, December 19, 2024, at 2:00 PM, with the family present to greet friends and loved ones from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. A funeral service will be held at Prairie View Church in Ollie on Friday, December 20, 2024, at 10:30 AM, officiated by Pastor Steve Lamb. The service will be available via livestream for those who cannot attend in person at www.prairieviewchurch-iowa.org. A celebration of Jerome's life will be held at Lake Darling State Park Lodge on May 25, 2025, providing an opportunity for all who knew him to honor his memory. Jerome's final resting place will be in Ollie Cemetery, where his cremains will be interred at a later date. The family would like to extend their deepest gratitude to his care team at the VA Hospital in Iowa City, and Compassus of Washington (Alex and Kandis) for their outstanding care and support for Jerome and his family.