Submitted by: Dan Rich

Jerome F. Claeys Jr.

Jan. 24, 1915 - July 10, 2004

South Bend Tribune 7/14/2004

Jerome F. "Jerry" Claeys Jr., 89, of Lake Forest, Ill., formerly of South Bend, Ind., died Saturday morning, July 10, in Lake Forest Place, Lake Forest. Mr. Claeys was born Jan. 24, 1915, in South Bend, to the late Jerome and Virgie (Hickey) Claeys, and had lived most of his life in South Bend until moving to Lake Forest in January 2003.

On July 6, 1940, in South Bend, at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, University of Notre Dame, he married Evadna L. "Shuy" Shumaker, who preceded him in death on Aug. 21, 1998. He was also preceded in death by two sisters, Mary Margaret Murphy and Betty Schultz. He is survived by two daughters, Colleen Bent and her husband, Robert of Duxbury, Mass., and Jacquelyn Kilroy and her husband, Harry of St. Charles, Ill.; three sons, Jerome J. Claeys III and his wife, Barbara of Lake Forest, Gregg Claeys and his wife, Greta of South Bend, and Christopher Claeys and his wife, Patrice of Chicago, Ill.; 11 grandchildren, Elizabeth, Matthew, Andrew, Katherine, Molly, and Suzanne Claeys, Kailen Ryan and her husband, Josh, April and Faith Bend, and Abby and Jill Kilroy; two great-grandchildren, Isaac and Roan Ryan; and by a brother, Don Claeys and his wife, Peg of South Bend.

Jerry retired as the CEO of Claeys Candy. As the son of the founder of the company, he devoted his entire life to the candy business and his family. He was a graduate of the University of Notre Dame in 1937, and was a veteran of the United State Navy during World War II. He currently held the longest membership in the South Bend Rotary Club, was a Paul Harris Fellow, and a former member of the board of directors of the LaSalle Council of the Boy Scouts of America. He was a member of the Notre Dame Club of St. Joseph Valley, the Sorin Society, and St. Anthony de Padua Catholic Church.

A memorial Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 15, in St. Anthony de Padua Catholic Church, 2120 E. Jefferson Blvd., with Rev. Terry Fisher officiating. Cremation will take place at Michiana Crematory, with inurnment to follow at a later date at Highland Cemetery.

Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. today, July 14, in the Welsheimer Funeral Home, 521 N. William St.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the University of Notre Dame, for the Claeys Family Scholarship, 1100 Grace Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556.