Dr. Patrick Jimerson Obituary (1941

Patrick Dennis Jimerson passed away on Saturday, December 31, 2016 after long battle with a debilitating and progressive respiratory disease. He was born on March 17, 1941 in East Chicago, Indiana to Evelyn Irene (Bowens) and Calvin Lawrence Jimerson, both deceased. Having been born in a Catholic hospital, the nuns suggested his Irish name given his birthdate. Although he was the oldest, his brothers Lawrence and Richard preceded him in death. Patrick graduated from Roosevelt High School, East Chicago, Indiana on June 2, 1959. That fall, he attended Purdue University at Calumet. He worked as a mail carrier and in the summer, he joined his contemporaries working at the local steel mills. In 1962, he married Jackie Gillis, together, they had three children, Jason, Jerrell and Patrice. Patrick received a BS in Biology in 1966, a MS in Molecular Biology in 1969 and a Ph.D. in Education and Administrative Theory in 1971, all from Purdue University. He served on the staff of the Business School and the Department of Education teaching several years at Purdue. He became a member of the National Training Laboratory (NTL), a think tank of applied behavioral scientists. In 1975, he moved to Iowa State University as the Director of Minority Student Affairs and Assistant to the Vice President of Student Affairs. Also, Dr. Jimerson was an Assistant Professor of Organization Behavior for the Business School and Department of Education. He met his future wife, Theodora Anderson at Iowa State. In 1979, Patrick was recruited to serve as the Manager of Corporate Training and Development at General Mills Corporation in Golden Valley, Minnesota. He and Theodora made their home in Plymouth, surrounded by lakes, where he developed a passion for sailing. While in Plymouth he joined the United Way board and worked with a not for profit community development organization in Minneapolis. In 1981, he left General Mills to work at Montgomery Ward in Chicago as the Director of Training and Organization Development. Patrick and Theodora moved to Evanston, Illinois and then to Waukegan in 1990. He founded Owl and Associates in 1994, a management and organizational development consulting firm serving clients that included the New York Times, Soft Sheen Products, City of San Diego, Toyota, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Office of Personnel Management, several oil and power generating companies University of the West Indies-Trinidad and Tobago, Mona Institute of Business at the University of West Indies-Jamaica, University of Minnesota, Mt. Holyoke College and U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He managed Owl and Associates until 2004. Finding travel more difficult due to 9/11, missing his daughter, Catherine, who was born in 1992, and wanting a stable income close to home in Waukegan; he applied for a substitute teaching position in biology at Waukegan High School. It was to be a flexible option that capitalized on his passion for teaching while still being able to take on consulting jobs. Within 10 minutes of submitting his substitute teaching application, he was called to schedule an interview for a full-time position. He taught freshman biology retiring at the end of the 2011-12 school year. Before his illness, Patrick was an avid sailor; he enjoyed trap shooting, bicycling, running and reading. He served as a Waukegan Park District Commissioner and an NTL board member, dean and consultant and a consultant with Kaleel Jamison Consulting Group, Inc for many years. He is survived by his wife, Theodora, his children: Jason, Jerrell (Alison), Patrice and Catherine; grandchildren: Jacob, Jasmine and Zachary. He has a host of family members, several exchange students, and friends-all will miss his larger than life presence, brilliant smile, extraordinary generosity, optimism and wisdom. As the patriarch for several families, he encouraged, mentored, supported and ensured members had opportunities for college and success. A memorial service will be held at 11am, Thursday, January 5, 2017 at First United Methodist Church, 128 N Martin Luther King Jr Avenue, Waukegan, IL 60085. Visitation prior to the service will begin at 10am. Lunch will be served after the service in the church’s fellowship hall. Funeral arrangements are by Peterson and Patch Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a memorial endowment established in his name at the Waukegan Parks Foundation.