Hornung, Jere E. of Wellesley passed away on May 22, 2016 at the age of 58 after a courageous battle with cancer. He leaves his wife of thirty years, Kimberley (Williams) Hornung, and his two sons, Matthew and Russell Hornung, of Wellesley, MA. He is the son of Louise (Spychalski) Hornung and the late C. Howard Hornung of Ludington, MI, brother of Paul Hornung & wife Marva of Detroit, MI, Charles Hornung & wife Susan of Kentwood, MI, Thomasina Hornung of Salt Lake City, UT, Elizabeth Johnson & husband Jeff of Scottville, MI, and uncle to many nieces and nephews.
He is also survived by his father- and mother-in-law, Alan Williams and Beverley (Derrah) Williams of Wellesley, MA, and his sister-in-law, Dawn Williams of Chelmsford, MA. Jere touched the lives of many with his kind and gentle demeanor, generosity, and willingness to lend a hand at any given moment. A well-loved and highly respected engineer, he began his career with Raytheon in 1979, specializing in the field of satellite communications systems. He graduated from Michigan Technological University in 1979 with a BSEE. He is also a graduate of the UMASS Microwave Engineering Program and held a MSEE. He held the position of Technical Director for many years and was also an Engineering Fellow. Jere managed a wide array of programs including satellite communications systems, air traffic control, and homeland security.
An Eagle Scout, Jere was very active in Scouting and held the positions of Den Leader and Cubmaster for a number of years, leading two Cub Scout dens and an entire Cub Scout Pack concurrently. He was also very active with the Boy Scouts for several years, serving as a merit badge counselor, mentor, and parent volunteer during many outdoor trips. Music being one of his primary interests, Jere always supported and encouraged all musical opportunities available to his two sons, Matthew and Russell. He played French horn with the Wellesley Town Band from its inception, and prior to having children, he played with the Northboro Community Band.
Jere’s passion was his family above all else. No matter the responsibilities and the demands of his profession, he was always a very involved parent. Spending time in New Hampshire fishing with his sons was one of his favorite pastimes. It is with tremendous heartache that we say goodbye to Jere, and we will sorely miss him. He has been a wonderful father, husband, brother, son, friend, mentor, role model and colleague. Jere’s unassuming personality, humility, positive attitude, and love for his family define the essence of who he truly was.
A celebration of Jere’s life will be held at the Wellesley Congregational Church (Village Church) at 2 Central Street in Wellesley, MA at 10:00 a.m. on June 11, 2016. All are invited to attend a reception at the church immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jere’s memory may be made to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (10 Brookline Place, W, 6th Floor, Brookline, MA 02445; www.dana-farber.org) or Boy Scouts of America-Knox Trail Council (Mount Royal Drive Office Park, 2 Mount Royal Avenue, Suite 100, Marlboro, MA 01752; www.KTC-BSA.org).