Jeffrey J. Hemmer

Jeffrey John Hemmer, age 53, of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin walked back into the arms of the Maker on Tuesday, January 8th, 2019 after an extended illness. He was born on September 27th, 1965 in Prairie du Chien, the son of Harold Thomas and Donna (Leard) Hemmer. Jeffrey graduated from Prairie du Chien High School in 1984. He married the lady who made his heart sing, Paula (Gjetley-Kautman) on March 14th, 1987 and they spent the next three decades cultivating their love and nurturing their growing family. 

Jeffrey wasn’t just the life of the party, he was the life of life. Whether it was spreading his infectious smile and easy laughter to people along his delivery route, or stepping up to help friends and family, Jeff’s light and love filled everyone he encountered with its warmth. Some of Jeff’s greatest joys in life came from cooking, baking, and making his notorious ribs for his loved ones, jamming out to his favorite artists, Jimi Hendrix and Dave Matthews, and bleeding green and gold. Jeffrey John put the fan in fanatic when it came to his love of the Packers and his home was always open for good eats, great laughs, and playful banter on game days (even for Bears fans). While Jeffrey’s time on this earth was not nearly long enough, his strength, positive energy, and steadfast resilience will live on in the hearts and minds of all those his light has touched. 

Jeffrey is survived by his wife of 31 years, Paula Hemmer of Prairie du Chien; three daughters, Rachel (Tony Jacob) Boldt of Madison, Brittany (Anthony Garbacz) Hemmer of Marquette, IA, and Erin (Ronald Bailey) Hemmer of Prairie du Chien, WI; a son, Dustin (Alanna) McShane of Prairie du Chien; four brothers, Robert (Barbara Baker) Hemmer of Union City, CA, Thomas Hemmer of Prairie du Chien, David (Lori) Hemmer of Prairie du Chien, and Bruce Hemmer of Stoughton; and four beautiful grandchildren, Liliana Hemmer, Gracelynn McShane, Aryia Garbacz, and Decklin McShane. He is further survived by a plethora of friends and nieces and nephews with whom he will forever be immortalized as the “cool uncle”.

Jeffrey was preceded in death by his mother, Donna Hemmer; his father Harold (Tom) Hemmer; his materal grandparents, Nellie and Virgil Leard; his paternal grandparents John and Agnes Hemmer; his nephew, Joshua Hagensick; his mother-in-law Joyce Kautman; and the 2018 Green Bay Packer season.

            A memorial service will be Saturday, January 19, 2019 at 11:00 AM at the Garrity Funeral Home Chapel in Prairie du Chien with Deacon Mark Grunwald officiating.  A private family interment will be later in the Calvary Cemetery in Prairie du Chien.  Friends may call the funeral home on Saturday from 9:00 AM until the time of services.   www.garrityfuneralhome.com

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