Jerry Hundscheid

Jerry Hundscheid, 91, passed away peacefully at his son’s home in Madison, AL on December 17th, 2020. Jerry, called “Opa” by his friends and family, lived a full and rich life. The tenth of eleven brothers and sisters, he was born on July 20th, 1929 in Heerlerbaan, the Netherlands, and raised in Heerlen. After living through World War II as a teenager, he decided to come to the United States and arrived in New York City on December 21st, 1950. He lived with his sister, Bertha, in Buffalo, NY for a couple of years before joining the Air Force, serving four years in Tripoli, Libya and Frankfurt, Germany, and earning both his US Citizenship and his GED. After leaving the Air Force, Opa attended Christian Brothers College (now Christian Brothers University) in Memphis, Tennessee and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. In Memphis, he met his wife, Cecilia Ann Dolan, and they were married on August 16th, 1958. Jerry worked thirty-three years in his career as a safety supervisor in explosives and chemical production. Jerry and Cecilia lived in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Blacksburg, Virginia, Kenvil, New Jersey, Port Ewen, New York, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and finally settled in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Cecilia’s hometown, for retirement. In Chattanooga, Opa was actively involved in Saint Jude’s Catholic Church and volunteered at Point Park National Park for several days every week for over ten years. He loved teaching people about the park’s history as well as showing off Chattanooga, putting to good use years of reading history books. In addition, Opa volunteered at Chattanooga’s Memorial Hospital. In 2007, Jerry and Cecilia moved to Madison, Alabama. In Alabama, Jerry faithfully volunteered at Huntsville Hospital and moved to Madison Hospital when it opened. He was an active member and volunteer with his church, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Madison and their Knights of Columbus. For a period, he visited different schools to provide a living history lesson on growing up during the German occupation of Holland. Jerry enjoyed singing and served in several church choirs over the years. Being Dutch, he also enjoyed bringing his yard to life with flowers each year. Jerry was preceded in death by his wife, Cecilia, and parents, Jan Jozef and Maria Gerards Hundscheid. He is survived by sons, Mark Hundscheid (Shelby), Madison, Alabama and Michael Hundscheid (Caroline), New Orleans, Louisiana; sister, Fien, in the Netherlands; grandchildren and great grandchildren, John Hundscheid (wife Kaitlin), Henry and Josephine of Birmingham, Alabama; Richard (wife Sage) and Rhett of Huntsville, Alabama; Savannah Hundscheid, Holly Hundscheid, and Amelia Hundscheid all of New Orleans, Louisiana. Visitation will be Monday at 11:00 AM until 12:00 PM followed by a Funeral Mass officiated by Father Bryan Lowe at 12:00 PM on December 21st, both at Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church, 1057 Hughes Road, Madison, Alabama. The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to either Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church or Huntsville Hospital Hospice Family Care.