Thomas Allen Jerome of Waterloo, Illinois, born January 18, 1937, in Cahokia, IL passed away on Friday, September 20, 2019 surrounded by his family.
Tom attended Cahokia High School and St Louis University where he graduated with a degree in Commerce. He then served in the U.S. Army as a reservist for 6 years. At Charter National Life Insurance he worked on some of the first IBM mainframe systems where he retired as Asst. VP of Systems and Programming. As an active long time member of both St. Catherine Laboure and Ss. Peter and Paul churches he was in the men's club, RCIA and served as Eucharistic Minister. Tom and his brothers coached Cahokia Quarterback club football for many years. He was a Cahokia La Guianne singer and Fourth degree of the Knights of Columbus Leo Jerome Assembly 1666 of Cahokia, IL.. He enjoyed every sport especially golf. Throughout his life he was always generous with his time and talents.
Tom wed Roberta June Grass on August 20, 1960 and shared 57 years together, before she passed away on February 24, 2017. Along with his wife, Tom was preceded in death by his parents, Maurice and Magdelena Jerome (nee Geppert); two brothers, Frances Jerome and James Jerome; and two sisters Wanda Mae Cunningham and Margaret Sanders.                                                                                                                             Surviving is a sister, Geraldine Rainbolt; four children, Gina Jerome (Mark) Janine Jerome-Hoffman (Michael), Lori Jerome and Steven Jerome; four grandchildren, Erin Hoffman (Sining Zhang), Kelsy Lakshmanan (Lakshmanan Ravi), Leah Hoffman, Haley Hoffman: and two great grandchildren, Nora Lakshmanan and Iris Zhang and many cousins, nieces and nephews.                                                                                          A Gathering of Family and Friends will be held from 4:30-8 p.m. Tuesday September 24, 2019, at Braun Family Funeral Home in Columbia, IL, with a Knights of Columbus service at 7:30 p.m., followed by the Recitation of the Rosary at 7:45 p.m.
Funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, September 25, 2019 at Ss. Peter and Paul Church in Waterloo, IL. As Toms last act of compassion and concern he donated his body to St Louis University.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to: Ss.Peter & Paul Catholic Church, 204 W Mill Street, Waterloo, IL 62298 or the American Lung Association, National Direct Response Headquarters, 1200 Hosford St, Suite 101, Hudson, WI 54106-9316: www.lung.org