Jerome A. Dollear often told his children he was one of the "World's Three Greatest" at any number of activities.  For instance, "did anyone ever tell you that I'm one of the World's Three Greatest ox-tail soup-makers?" Or "I'm one of the World's Three Greatest zucchini farmers."  Jerry felt as if a joke was funniest when it was told often while switching up the punchline.

He was the youngest child born to Clarence and Margaret Dollear and raised Roman Catholic.  He attended St. Nicklaus Grammar School and St. Ignatius College Prepatory High School (class of 1959).  While in high school, he met the love of his life, Winnie (nee Slattery) and married her in 1964.  Together they had four kids - Dan, Tim, Mary and Steve.  Jerry and Winnie were together until his last breath - over 56 years of marriage!

Jerry was a proud member of Pipefitters Union Local 597 and stayed active in the union even after his retirement in 2004.  Jerry began with the union when he started the apprentice program in 1962.  He later finished the program among the top of his class.  He earned his journeyman's card in 1967.

After many years working as a journeyman on a wide variety of projects both big and small throughout the area, in 1979 he took a position as a superintendent for a mechanical contracting company.   In this role, he was a leader - managing, planning and problem solving a variety of different jobs and teams at the same time.  He held the position of superintendent until he retired in 2004.  While serving as superintendent, Jerry went back to school and in 1991, he earned a bachelor's degree in business management from National-Louis University.   Throughout his life, Jerry was a firm believer in hard work.  For everybody.

As one of the Worlds Three Greatest Dads, he encouraged his kids to study, or as he put it, "dig deep into the trough of academia," coached little league baseball, and attended all of his children's games and music recitals.  He enjoyed the Chicago White Sox and Bears, fishing, reading, golfing, eating healthy, traveling, gardening, listening to books on tape, going to movies, baking zucchini bread, (cooking is like reading), long walks and Words with Friends (especially with Sam and Michelle).

Some interesting facts: he was one of the World's Three Greatest readers and frequented the local library - alternating fiction and non-fiction books.  He never started a book he didn't finish.  He also read two daily newspapers, Newsweek and National Geographic. He wrote his children weekly when they went to college (even though only one of them regularly wrote him back). He loved history and his family.  He almost never lost his keys.

As Jerry's children got married, he became a father-in-law to Elaine Lally (Dan), Lynn Wysoglad (Tim) and Eileen Kane (Steve) and welcomed them into his family and his heart.

Jerry had many roles in life - son, brother, husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, boss and friend, to name a few. He was one of the World's Three Greatest at all of them (in reality - he was The Greatest at all of them).  Of all of those roles, perhaps his favorite was as grandfather to Kevin, Eleanor, Maura, Fiona and Brenna.  His five grandchildren lit up his life and he could often be found comforting them when they cried, attending their violin and piano recitals and baseball, basketball, and volleyball games.  He was known far and wide as a dedicated, doting, and proud grandfather, taking the grandkids on trips both near (Shedd Aquarium, Brookfield Zoo, Harold Washington Library) and far (Boy Scout Camp, Rocky Mountains, National Parks).   He had a true gift at putting a smile on his grandkids' faces whenever he was around.  And always getting his grandkids what they wanted and needed.

As a devoted Roman Catholic, Jerry attended St. Mary's Star of the Sea in Chicago, Notre Dame in Clarendon Hills and Old St. Mary's in Chicago's South Loop.

In death, Jerry is now reunited with his parents, his sister, Mary, brothers Dick, Jim and Jack and nephews T.J., Jim and John.

His family will miss his wisdom, kindness, gentle heart and sense of humor and are consoled by many loving memories and the truth that love and family are forever.

Visitation Monday, February 24, 2020 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with Vigil Service at 7:00 p.m. at Old St. Mary's Parish, 1500 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60605. Visitation Tuesday, February 25, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. until the time of the 11:00 a.m. Funeral Mass at Old St. Mary's Parish, 1500 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60605.

In lieu of flowers, donations are welcome to Old St. Mary's School - Jerry Dollear Scholarship Fund., 1500 S. Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605, https://factsmgtadmin.com/give/appeal/FdHHThz

For further information please call 312-421-0936.