Jeremiah Joldes

Jeremiah entered fully into the presence of God on September 4, 2023. Jeremiah was born on June 28, 2000, in Portland, Oregon, to Dan and Elizabeth Joldes.  He has two brothers and three sisters. The family moved closer to the Chicago suburbs, and Jeremiah grew up in Des Plaines, IL. He was trained to sing harmonies with his brothers and dad at church, and barbershop quartet hymns were his favorite genre of music. He also played the trumpet with his family, and occasionally played in recent years. He cherished memories of romping with his siblings in their basement, and the different forts they would make. Before moving out Jeremiah loved spending his mornings with his mother, just the two of them. Any time Jeremiah saw her he would repeatedly ask if she was getting enough rest. Jeremiah learned how to work hard with his dad and brothers in the family’s hardwood flooring business, but also knew how to relax while fishing. He jumped at the chance to play a hymn or two on the piano, and just recently received an accordion that he practiced during his spare time. He understood Romanian and was very proficient in Spanish. Jeremiah had a knack for the science of nutrition, and loved to educate others on the key points he’s discovered. Jeremiah never boasted about his soccer prowess, which left opponents baffled as he mopped the floor with them, in a humble, Christian way. Jeremiah knew how to fix his car, and learned quickly on all things that required working with his hands. Jeremiah did his best to glorify God at his job as a traveling measure tech for Home Depot, and was happy to earn different customer satisfaction recognitions. He had a unique touch with people and animals; he could tame animals that were wild, and sought out opportunities to help loved ones feel better any way he could. Jeremiah had a gentle and deep voice, and he would always sing the bass harmony for every hymn. Jeremiah had a passion for permaculture and gardening. The family’s garden was a very special place for him, and he loved to go inspect all the features and look for ways to improve them. Jeremiah loved having bonfires, and would spend many evenings with his wife enjoying the night air intermingled with fire and s’mores. Jeremiah was passionate about Bible versions, and personally drafted documents pointing out the differences between the translations in favor of the King James Version, the Reina Velera Gomez 2010 in Spanish, and the Fidela Bible in Romanian. In 2021, Jeremiah and his wife started their own ministry in Chicago; they passed out Bibles in English and Spanish, giving out food, rides to church, and together saw 695 souls accept Jesus as Savior by the end of Jeremiah’s race. Jeremiah often took his wife to dates at local parks where they enjoyed picnics and chess. He loved to play with his one-year-old son Isaiah, and set aside time to work to reach crucial milestones such as crawling and walking.  Jeremiah learned he would have another baby due in April of 2024. Jeremiah spoke of his struggle with depression during his middle school and high school years, and this underlying issue was never addressed into adulthood.  His wife started to reach out for counseling in December of 2022, and two days before he passed he agreed to attend. Even though he took his own life, we know he is watching us today from heaven. Overall, Jeremiah Joldes had a warmth and a kindness that stood out in this world, and he will be severely missed by all those who knew him.

Jeremiah is survived by his wife, Carrie, his son Isaiah, with another child on the way; his father, Dan, mother, Elizabeth, his brothers Jonathan and David, and his sisters Ruth, Naomi, and Sarah.  

A memorial service will be held at Benson Family Funeral Home in Chicago, IL on Tuesday, September 12 at 10 am. Following the service he will be buried at his final resting place at Maryhill Cemetery in Niles, IL.  Friends and family are welcome to attend.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Jeremiah Joldes, please visit our floral store.