HOILIEN, Gerald 'Jerry' 1928-2004

HOILIEN, COOLEY, HEIMER, FRIEDBERG, HENNINGSEN, MASON

Posted By: D Cunningham (email)
Date: 3/26/2020 at 17:03:24

Gerald "Jerry" Hoilien, 76, of Harpers Ferry, died Thursday, August 5, 2004 at Prairie du Chien Memorial Hospital in Prairie du Chien, WI. Funeral services were held Monday, August 9 at 11 a.m. at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Monona. Burial was in Boscobel Cemetery, Boscobel, WI. A memorial fund has been established in Jerry's name.

Gerald Ira "Jerry" Hoilien was born in Boscobel, WI April 25, 1928, the son of Ira and Zetta (Cooley) Hoilien. He moved with his family to Austin, MN where he graduated from high school in 1946 and Jr. College in 1948. He was a state swimming champion in the 100 yard backstroke in 1946 and later swam for the team at Carlton College in Northfield, MN.

November 27, 1949 he married Joyce LaVonne Heimer in Onawa, IA where the family operated Hoilien Hardware for many years. Jerry was very active in scouting, serving as Cub Master, Scoutmaster and Explorer Advisor. Jerry's love of the outdoors always dominated his life and in 1960 he took a job with the State of Iowa as a State Conservation Officer. He served as a Federal US Deputy Game Warden from 1961-1989 and was the Iowa State Regional Supervisor after 1969, overseeing 27 counties. He was a State Firearms Instructor, State Training Officer and taught at the State Police Officers Academy in Des Moines.

During his career, Jerry developed many innovative techniques in wildlife managements, identification and forensics that he compiled in a work that became known as the "Blue Book", which are still in practice today and used as a training manual in many states as well as internationally. He served as president of the Iowa Wildlife Officers Association and as chairman of the Forensic Committee for the Midwest Association, traveling extensively throughout the Midwest sharing his knowledge at seminars, fairs and sport shows. He also led a conservation course at Luther College for several years, became an accomplished taxidermist and was instrumental in re-introducing the wild turkey to Iowa.

In later years he wrote and published "The Warden's Diary" and "The Warden's Cookbook" as well as numerous articles for the Iowa Conservationist and the International Game Warden. His achievements were recognized in 1986 when he received the Inernational Game Warden Award from the Midwest Fish & Game Law Enforcement Officers Association.

Jerry retired to rural Harpers Ferry where he lived on a former apple orchard and continued to pursue his love of the outdoors by hunting, fishing and walking the woods and prairies.

Survivors include his four children, Catherine Ann (Larry Friedberg) Hoilien of Denver, CO, Mary Jo (Randy) Henningsen of Marne, IA, Julie Ann (Jeff Mason) Hoilien of Eldorado Springs, CO, and Jerry Nordell (Jenny) Hoilien of Monona; 12 grandchildren, Jeremy, Tyler, Nicholas, Adria, Jacob, Justin, Lauren, Jada, Josie, Katie, Zetta and Marcella; three great-grandchildren, Kea, Cameron and Marney; a special friend and former classmate, Rose Eckert of La Crosse, WI; his big red dog Reggie; and his neighbor and hunting partner, Park Leachman. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Joyce, who died in 1985, and two brothers, Nordell and Robert.

Casketbearers are Jacob, Justin & Lawrence Friedberg, Randy Henningsen, Jeff Mason, Jeremy, Tyler & Nick Brix, Mark Jones, Berl Downing, Park Leachman and Daves Oates. Honorary casketbearers are all the wardens and peace officers Jerry knew.

Source: Allamakee Journal-Wednesday, August 11, 2004

from my parents obituary collection