Jerome Peter Friedrichs

Jerome Peter Friedrichs, previously of Des Plaines, Gurnee, Lindenhurst, and most recently of Long Grove, IL, passed away peacefully in the early morning of January 4, 2020, at the age of 91.

Jerome was born on May 7, 1928, in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, to the late Arno and Marie (nee Mielke) Friedrichs. 

Jerome had a strong interest in radio technology at an early age and enlisted in the U.S. Navy after high school. During his time in the Navy, he achieved the rank of ET3, aboard the USS Waccamaw, primarily stationed in the Mediterranean. Upon his honorable discharge from the Navy, Jerome went on to study electrical engineering at the University of Wisconsin, Madison on the GI Bill. 

After graduation in 1952, Jerome went to work as an electrical engineer for Collins Radio in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In the early 1960s, he relocated his family to Des Plaines, Illinois and went to work for Motorola. Initially, he worked at the Augusta Boulevard plant, then moved to the Flournoy Avenue location, and finally to Motorola’s Schaumburg campus. While at Motorola, as an Engineering Group Leader in the Automotive Products Division, he was credited with four patents and worked extensively on CB radios and the early versions of the Motorola DynaTAC8000X and ‘Bag’ cell phones. Jerome retired from Motorola in 1989.

Jerome was united in marriage on September 2, 1950, with his high school sweetheart, Shirley Zabel, in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. They celebrated 57 wonderful years of marriage until the time of her passing in March of 2008.  He was a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, even as far back as taking the train from Sheboygan to Chicago to attend a game during their 1945 World Series effort against the Detroit Tigers.  His loyalty to the team was finally rewarded as he saw his beloved Cubbies ‘win it all’ in 2016!!

Jerome will be deeply missed by his loving children, Larry (Judy) Friedrichs of Hawthorn Woods, Illinois and Lee (David) Fischer of Mundelein, Illinois; adoring grandchildren Christine (Garet) Koxlien, Scott Friedrichs, Rebecca Fischer, Amanda Fischer; and great-grandson, Greyson Koxlien (Christine).

Visitation will be from: 4:00-7:00PM on Friday, January 10, 2020, and 9:00-11AM, on Saturday, January 11, 2020, at Bethel Lutheran Church (where he had been an Elder), 5110 Grand Avenue, Gurnee, followed by an 11AM funeral service at the church with Rev. Dr. Ben Squires officiating. Entombment, with Honor Guard, will follow at Highland Memorial Park in Libertyville, Illinois.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Bethel Lutheran Church, Gurnee, IL. Arrangements entrusted to Sambrano Funeral & Cremation, Gurnee, IL. For online condolences please visit: www.LauraSambranoFunerals.com; for information, please call 847-571-7719.

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