Vern Hultgren

Vernon "Vern" H. Hultgren, age 91, a resident of Windsor Park in Carol Stream, and formerly of Wheaton, Gages Lake, Illinois, and Boca Raton, Florida, passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, September 17, 2025. He was born on September 3, 1934, in Chicago to Dr. Harry and Mabel Hultgren.

Vern grew up in a multigenerational, Swedish-speaking home in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago, where his father was a dentist and his mother worked at the local school. He graduated from Senn High School and went on to serve in the U.S. Army as a medic, while also playing semi-professional basketball throughout Europe. Upon returning home with his Volkswagen Beetle, he earned a degree from North Park College and later graduated from Worsham College of Mortuary Science.

While at North Park, Vern met the love of his life and lifelong adventure partner, Joanne Anderson. They were married on April 26, 1958 in Chicago, and together raised their family in Mt. Prospect and Park Ridge, where Vern was active in Cumberland Baptist Church and later South Park Church. For nearly 20 years, Vern served as a funeral director at Olson Funeral Home in Chicago, where his care and compassion touched countless lives. In 1977, he moved his family to Wheaton.

A man of deep faith, strong character, and boundless energy, Vern went on to become the owner and director of Hultgren Funeral Home in Wheaton, faithfully serving the community until his retirement in 1995.

Vern was a devoted member of The Compass Church in Wheaton, where he lived out his Christian faith with quiet strength and unwavering commitment. He was actively involved in the Christian Business Men's Committee (CBMC) and served as Chairman of the Chicago chapter in the 1970s. A longtime member of Gideons International, Vern also lent his leadership and encouragement to many Christian ministries. He served on the boards of Missionary Furlough Homes Foundation, Vision Ministries International, India Outreach Ministries, Fairhaven Christian Retirement Center (Rockford, IL), and the Swedish Bible Institute in Sweden.

His passion for people and the gospel led Vern and Joanne to organize and lead numerous mission trips, often guiding teams of 20 to 40 individuals across the globe. Even in retirement, he remained deeply connected to the missionary community, exchanging letters and emails with partners in ministry around the world. A natural people-person, Vern had an incredible gift for remembering names and faces-and making everyone feel seen and valued.

Vern was also a lifelong lover of sports. He taught himself to water ski as a teen, was a competitive speed skater, and learned to snow ski while in the Army-continuing to ski into retirement. He played basketball, softball, and golf, and he was proud of his two hole-in-ones. A devoted Cubs fan, in his retirement, he rarely missed a game and celebrated their victories with the same joy he brought to every part of life.

Above all, Vern was a man whose deep Christian faith was evident in the way he loved his family and everyone he met. His legacy of compassion, encouragement, and generosity will live on in the countless lives he touched.

He is survived by his beloved wife of over 60 years, Joanne; his three children: Tim (Susan) Hultgren of Wheaton, Tami (Chip) Moore of Gages Lake, IL, and Randy (Christy) Hultgren of Springfield; and eleven cherished grandchildren, including Taryn (David) Fleming, Anderson (Kyrra) Hultgren, Tre (Meg) Moore, Hunter Hultgren, Karsten (Mackenzie) Hultgren, Tim (Summer) Moore, Allison Hultgren, Tessa (Brandon) Downs, Kylie (Christopher) Jones, Kaden Hultgren and Kole Hultgren; as well as treasured great-grandchildren: Henry, William, Tre, Banks, Fern, Ira Vernon, Lincoln, Hans, Ellison, Ellis, Stetson and Josephine.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Gloria (John) Smythe, and his maternal grandparents, Ernest and Emilia Selander.

Visitation will be held on Friday, September 26, from 3:00 to 7:00 at Hultgren Funeral Home, 304 N. Main St, Wheaton, IL 60187.

A celebration of Vern's life and faith will take place at a funeral service, Saturday, September 27, at 10:30 a.m. at The Compass Church – Wheaton Campus, 520 E. Roosevelt Rd, Wheaton, IL 60187. You may watch the service here: Funeral Service for Vern Hultgren. Coffee and visiting to follow. Private interment will be held at Wheaton Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to:
India Rural Evangelical Fellowship
PO Box 1332
Park Ridge, IL 60068-7332

Proverbs 3:5&6, the Hultgren Family verse: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths."