Joel Thomas Bertram Jr., 62, of Paw Paw, passed away Monday, August 12, 2024, at OSF St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford surrounded by friends and family. Joel was born September 21, 1961, in Lincoln, IL, the son of Joel Thomas and Charlene (Deatrick) Bertram. He married Theresa Kaz on June 21, 1980.
Joel is survived by his wife, Tary; two children, Maria (Jon) Zanellato and Joel Thomas (Christine) Bertram III; two sisters, Patricia Lawyer and Audrey Bertram; nephews, Donald Lawyer and Ethan Bertram; two nieces, Katlyn (Gerald) Rich and their daughter, Kayleefaye, and Emily (Axel Cook) Bertram and their son, August.
Joel is preceded in death by his parents.
The funeral service will be at 5:30 P.M. Sunday, August 18, 2024, at the Unger-Horner Funeral Home, 400 N. 6th Street in Rochelle with Pastor Dwayne Wilson officiating. Visitation will be from 2:30 P.M. until the time of the service on Sunday at the funeral home. A graveside service will take place at 11:00 A.M. Monday, August 19, 2024, at Wyoming Township Cemetery in Paw Paw, IL. Please visit www.tormanfuneralhome.com to sign the online guest book.
I am so sorry for your loss. Over the years Joel and I worked together his family and his faith were the only things more important than work to Joel. I will remember his sense of humor, his joy for life and his dedication. May you feel the presence of the Lord in the times to come and may it bring you peace.
Met Joel on a month long coverage fdr Altura. He welcomed me and sure could get a
person to laugh. Was tremendous on voicemail systems .
I am sorry such a good person, had to be taken so soon.
Until we meet again. share some laughs with your parents and others we have lost.
Prayers to the family during this difficult time.
Comment *I will always remember Joel and the first time I met him in person when he came to our Totowa, NJ office. He was 6’2” and I am 5’ 2”, first thing he said was “Man, you are short” and I said, “Aren’t you supposed to say Fe Fi Fo Fum” and we both started cracking up. We had lunch at FireHouse subs and sat outdoors since it was warm weather. We had a great conversation about life and family and even swapped some recipes as he loved to cook.
Joel was dedicated to his job and loved to help other technicians with troubleshooting problems, he never gave up until the issues were resolved. He was a plethora of telecom knowledge and was always willing to explain everything in great detail to teach and mentor others.
He also loved his family and spoke of them with love and admiration, he was so proud of them.
Joel will be remembered and missed by all who knew him. One day we will meet up with him again and he will probably say “Hey, it’s about time, let’s catch up”.
RIP Mr. Bertram – until we meet again.
Comment Joel would help anyone at anytime of the day or night. I had the pleasure of working with him for over 29 years. I will be praying for his family as we all did when Joel fought and good fight to stay healthy. He adored his Wife and spoke of his Som and Daughter with pride and joy. I will miss his timely sense of humor as well. Rest In Peace my good friend. 🙏🏿
Dear Cousin Tary, I am deeply saddened by your loss and offer my sincerest condolences. May God’s love and presence bring you comfort during this difficult time. May the God of all comfort surround you with His peace and bring you solace in the midst of your grief. My prayers are with you.
Xoxoxo,
George Harris
Comment *I never met Joel in person, but he and I worked together for nearly 30 years professionally. He and I affectionately called each other “Dammit”. When it was 5 minutes to closing time, and the phone rang, we always knew it was Joel sneaking in one last question for the day. We lost contact a year ago when I separated from my previous employer and I have missed our exchanges terribly. I will forever remember him in my heart. Rest in peace, my friend.
Joel liked to say he was a not-so-nice synonym for derrière, but he made friends wherever he went. He was up-front, direct and somewhat brash, yet always good-natured and so incredibly genuine and caring in his words and deeds; you always knew where you stood with him, for good or for ill. He was a mentor and advocate for me, always helping me to learn whenever there was time to expose me to something new, or push me to explore various avenues in my career path. Beyond that though, he often shared news about family, tips on health and weight remedies, the delicious food his wife made for him, Temple, and all the things that made his life rich and full, enriching others as a result. His loss will be felt by all who knew him and my deepest sympathies go out to his family who feel it most.
Linda and I are so deeply sorry for your loss. The Lord must have been in need of a very capable IT guy. Joel was one of the nicest, kindest people I have ever met. While you will miss him, I’m sure he will be watching over you until you to are called.
Love Tim and Linda