Jerome A. Denault

Jerome A. Denault, 94, of Bourbonnais passed away June 22, 2026. Jerome was born January 6, 1932 in Goodrich, Illinois. On July 28, 1964, Jerome married the former Carolyn Kirchner in Joliet. He graduated from Herscher High School in 1949. He served in the US army from 1952-1954. In 2019, Jerome was honored to be a participant on the Honor Flight from Chicago to Washington D.C. in 2019. His daughter went with him. Jerome worked as a brakeman for New York Central, Penn Central and retired from Conrail. After retiring he took a job at Sodexho Marriott Foods at Olivet Nazarene University where he worked for 10 years. Jerome attended Bradley Evangelical United Methodist Church. He loved to golf, bowl, play softball, cribbage and pinochle. He got together every Wednesday and played pinochle with his friends. He umpired Little League, high school, and slow pitch softball for many years. He was very proud that he was able to bowl a perfect 300 game in bowling and get a hole in one in golf. Jerome was the fourth child of ten children born to Alfred and Rosalie (Morin) Denault. His parents are deceased. Jerome is also survived by his wife, Carolyn, his children Mary Rose Archer (Charlie Cheek) of Tamms, Illinois, Peggy Sue (Mark) King of Bourbonnais, Jerie Clausen of Kankakee and Aimee Denault (Jon DePratt) of Arizona, his grandchildren Nathan Coffman of Bourbonnais, Eric Archer of Providence, Kentucky, Jeremy Clausen of Columbia, Missouri and Lynlee (Daniel) Phelps of Providence, Kentucky as well as six great grandchildren Jaylynn, Isabella & Brantley Archer, Jaden Clausen, and Ryleigh & Kylynn Phelps. He is also survived by two brothers & one sister-in-law Vernon Denault of Bradley and Maynard & Barbara Denault of Kankakee and by three sisters-in-law & one brother-in-law Betty Denault of Kankakee, Marilyn Gilmore of Bourbonnais and Susan (George) Stoken of East Moline. He is predeceased by his daughter and son-on-law Linda & Darrell Coffel, his son Roger Denault, his siblings and their spouses Emile Denault, Geraldine (Tubby) Tobenski, Donald (Bernadette) Denault, Dolores (Richard Fitch), James Riley, Raymond (Norma) Denault, JoAnn Denault, Willard Denault, as well as a brother-in-law John Gilmore and his parents-in-law Harlan & Annie Kirchner. Visitation will be held at Jensen Funeral Home, Kankakee on Monday, June 29, 2026 at 9am with a service following at 11am. Private burial will be held at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, Illinois. Memorials may be made to the River Valley Special Recreation Foundation (RVSRF). RVSRF is an IRS approved 501(c)(3), dedicated to providing financial support for recreational and therapeutic programming that enhances and enriches the lives of the River Valley Special Recreation Association participants and their families by creating recreational opportunities for RVSRA participants. Jerome’s grandson Nathan Coffman has been a participant at RVSRA for 30 years.