Jerome Witkovsky Obituary

Witkovsky, Jerome 'Jerry'

Jerome 'Jerry' Sheldon Witkovsky passed away on 5/26/25 at 97 years of age in West Hills, California. He lived in Fairwinds, a senior living community, to which he migrated during COVID. Jerry passed peacefully, after some medical issues, with the care of Fairwinds medical support and his hospice providers.

Jerry was born in Chicago, Il (South Side) on March 29, 1928, to Benjamin Witkovsky and Elizabeth Shapiro. Elizabeth died when Jerry was 4 years old. His childhood was nurtured by Shapiro aunts, and later by stepmother Evelyn Wolf.

He graduated from Harper High School and then enlisted in the postwar US Army. His service was in Kobe, Japan. He received commendations in clerical work and the development of youth services for the children of Army officers. Upon separation from the Army, Jerry worked with Chicago Boy's Club. His supervisor there recommended that Jerry get a college degree, and he helped Jerry's admission to George Williams College in Hyde Park. While getting his BA degree at GW, Jerry met and wed Margaret Jane Thomas in 1950. She played major roles in Jerry's life including typing his papers while he attended and finished his MSW from the University of Illinois Jane Adams School of Social Work.

With his graduate degree, Jerry was employed again at the Boys and Girls Club but soon switched to the Jewish Community Centers of Chicago. His early assignments were at the Max Strauss Center, and Camp Chi. His favorite place to work, however, was Camp Chi. He worked there from 1953 to1971. The last 4 years he was the Director of Camp Chi. These were the years that he talked about the most. Abe Vinik tapped him to be the Assistant General Director of the JCCs. In 1979 Vinik retired, and Jerry became the General Director. He worked aggressively with the Board of Directors to advocate for persons of all ages who experienced trouble by infirmity, physical illness, poverty, cultural adaptation, religious need, mental health, and self-doubt. Jerry is known to most of us from his tireless dedication to the Jewish community, and his efforts in local, state, national, and international politics.

In each of the above areas in which he worked, he is known for the aphorism, "leave your camp site better than you found it."

In fact, his use of this saying, the use of his powers of learning and confronting, the challenges he laid at his own feet first then at those of others, were known in the Deerfield community where he cut his teeth on doing work for parents, grandparents, and grandchildren. The intergenerational programming at Deerfield High School was well received. The successes there led him to author a book about intergenerational challenges, and he spoke in several formats on this subject. Hopefully, the world of family relationships was better than when he first found them.

Jerry was preceded in death by his father, Benjamin Witkovsky (1987) his mothers Elizabeth (Shapiro, d. 1932) and Evelyn (Wolf, d.1997). His brother Phillip passed in 2014. His wife Margaret passed in 2003 after a marriage of 52 years.

Jerry is survived by his daughter Ellen (Don Cervantes), and son Michael (Julie Nielsen Witkovsky). Jerry also kept a close relationship with Michael's first spouse, Cynthia Hirsch. Grandchildren who additionally survive him are Jessica Cervantes (Travis Crisco); Kathryn Cervantes (Lance Agostino); Rabbi Ethan Witkovsky (Erin Beser); Benny Witkovsky (Corrina Regnier); Merete Witkovsky; and Vivienne Wren Witkovsky. There are 4 great-grandchildren: Aldo Hirsch and Sage Margaret Witkovsky; Hugo Thomas Regnier; and Arthur Enzo Agostino.

There will be a graveside service in Blue Island IL. A portion of Jerry's ashes will be interred beside Margaret's grave in Beverly Cemetery. The date for this family only ritual is yet to be determined.

However, after the interment there will be a JCC assisted Memorial Event hosted by the Weinger JCC and their ability to provide remote attendance and involvement by persons unable to attend in person. The date and time for this event has yet to be decided. Please be prepared to say something, tell a story, about Jerry.

Lastly, without knowing the exact date of this, we have received permission from JCC to disperse, per Jerry's durable and loudly uttered plea, the rest of his ashes in either the Pebble Place, the Big Pine, or a water venue at Turtle Island. The GaGa pit is off limits! We have no other activities planned but if we receive a large outpouring of interest to attend this ritual, we will try to accommodate.

In lieu of flowers, we ask that gifts in Jerry's honor be given to the Camp Chi scholarship fund. This can be done on the Camp Chi website://campchi.jccchicago.org/donate/.

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