Jerald Joseph Jansen

Jerald Joseph Jansen

February 10, 1947 - August 03, 2025

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Obituary

MADISON / MESA, Ariz. / LODI - Jerald J. Jansen, age 78, passed away on Sunday, August 3, 2025. Jerry was born on February 10, 1947, in Fond du Lac, Wis., a son of Earl and Marjorie (Miller) Jansen.


Jerry graduated from Goodrich High School in Fond du Lac in 1965, before attending the University of Wisconsin - Madison. He left school after about two years to enter the workforce; however, returned to UW at age 43 when he completed his B.A. in 1994. He went on to earn his M.S. in Social Work at the Madison campus. Between those times, Jerry had a varied career in the sales, restaurant, and the communications fields in Middleton, moving on to start a 30-year career in 1972 working with troubled youth and their families for the Dane County Juvenile Court, retiring in 2002. Beginning in 1979, Jerry began a concurrent career in law enforcement as a part-time police officer for the Village of Shorewood Hills. He rose to Lieutenant in 1981 and was appointed Chief of Police in 1996 where he remained until he retired in 2004. Jerry then moved to the UW-Madison Police Department, where he served for three more years, retiring again, as Assistant Chief in 2007.


During his law enforcement career Jerry served as the President of the Dane County Chiefs of Police in 2000-2001, and on the Borad of Directors of the Wisconsin Chiefs of Police Association for six years. He also served on the Board and as President of the Wisconsin Police Leadership Foundation. One of his proudest accomplishments was to create the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Death Response (LEDR) Team, consisting of officers, deputies, chiefs, sheriffs, and others who are trained to respond to a law enforcement death in the state. He believed that the sister and brotherhood of policing is a strong bond and the survivors of tragic deaths, often in the line-of-duty, needed immediate support to avoid some of the traumatic effects of these deaths.


Jerry is survived by his loving wife, Diana; their children, Eric (Joan) Matz of Puerto Rico, Heidi (Kevin) Hargis of Lodi, Wis., and Jennifer (Jim) Beine of Hartford, Wis.; his 12 grandchildren, Joshua Collier, Matthew Collier, Rachel Yerich, Cara Collier, Holly Hargis, Jacob Hargis, Brock Hargis, Hannah Hargis, Martha Mabe, Robert Matz, Catherine Matz, and Amelia Dukic; many great-grandchildren; and his sisters, Julie (John) Coffey and Jeanne (Steve) Halfmann. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Joseph and Viola Miller of Covington, Ind., and Mathias and Mary Jansen of New Holstein, Wis.; as well as his mother, Marjorie M. Keenlance of Fond du Lac, his father, Earl J. Jansen of Waupaca and brother, Jeffrey Keenlance of Fond du Lac.


A Celebration of Life is being organized for a later date.


Memorials may be made to: Agrace HospiceCare or the Wisconsin Police Leadership Foundation. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.


Gunderson Lodi

Funeral & Cremation Care

157 S. Main St.

(608) 592-3201




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SD
Steven Daveler
Other •
Prayers to Diana. Jerry was a super gentleman. As Middleton EMS went a great partner. And leader. RIP Jerry.
JB
Joseph Belllissimo
Other •
I remember Jerry well from my time at Middleton EMS when he led that organization as well as interactions over the years. He was kind and thoughtful and was the kind of leader we should all hope to work under.
DB
Dave Benforado
Other •
The Village of Shorewood Hills greatly benefited from Jerry’s wise leadership. For 25 years, Jerry served with the Village Police Department, the last 8 years as Police Chief. About a decade ago, the Village Board hired Jerry back for a short-term period as Interim Police Chief when we were between permanent Police Chiefs. One of Jerry’s attributes I admired the most was his attention to Village youth. Relying on his prior training while working for the Dane County Juvenile Court Program, Jerry would often quitely counsel Village youth who had been in arrested and would meet with them for years after in an attempt to cajole them to consider walking better pathways in life. May he rest in peace. Dave Benforado (Shorewood Hills Village Board, 2004-2023; Village President 2017-2023)
R
Rachel
Other •
Goodbye Grandpa. It’s hard to sum up who you were as a person because you were so much to so many people. You were a leader in the police force, and, consistently, within whatever community you migrated to. You were a wordsmith, someone who loved to read, write, and turn a phrase into something light and playful. Thoughtful with your words and generous with your laughter. Open-says-a-me, Bappy herthday, Cherry Mistmas, Pweetie sigh. You were campfires and ghost stories, broadway plays and small productions, you were lumberjacks in love and the ghost of highway Q. You were knowing everybody, everywhere, in every restaurant we walked into. You were a wrangler of ornery cats, unseen magic soothing them to settle on the back of your recliners. You were once a boy scout, an honor you carried through your life and career with hopes of fusing social compassion and a just society. You were a lover of history, inspired by Lincoln (not just in height). You were a husband, married to the love of your life for 45 years. You were my Grandpa, and although I know I’ll never wrap my arms around you again and squeeze the living bejesus out of you, I also know you were in pain. And that you fought that for many years to continue to be all of these things, especially to be with Grandma. You were more than just my Grandpa- a Great Grandpa, Brother, Step-Father, Chief Jansen, Roadwriter777, the ‘Jerry’ of ‘Jerry and Diana’ and the world is dimmer without you.
SK
Sue Kartman
Other •
I have very fond memories of working with Jerry and Diana at Middletown EMS. Jerry was a kind and living person, and a friend. I will miss you Jerry!🚑. Sue Kartman
SW
Sue Kartman & Cindy Walters
Other •
A remembrance of Jerry now and future

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