In Memory of Jill Warner
Jill Warner (back right) seated next to her husband Jim on their first trip to Haiti with fellow travelers. Fr. Max Striedl (middle left) remembers, "Jill had a deep love for the Lord and doing His work." Both had a real strong tug to be there."
It seems to happen frequently on Mission Trips to Haiti that we are called to serve in ways that we may not have expected. At the end of the week, joy is present because all have given in some way. For some, that joy takes root deep in the heart and inspires years of service.
THP celebrates the life of a giver such as this. Jill Warner and her husband, Jim, made their first mission trip to LCS in the spring of 2000. While in Haiti, Jill observed & participated in daily life on campus, told wonderful stories, cleaned, cooked, and, as many mission trippers do, she simply said “yes.” Her “yes” for the week turned into a big “yes” for the rest of her life and her own talents served not only the school community in Haiti, but helped build our THP community in the Diocese of Rockford, IL.
Once an executive secretary for McDonnell Aircraft during the time of the Gemini Space Program, Jill was an excellent organizer and had a very contagious positive nature that was a burst of energy for THP. She regularly lent her infectious personality and myriad skills to THP. She initiated everything from pancake socials to support from diocesan wide organizations. Along with her husband Jim, she generously supported the Project. Although she struggled with health related issues for many years, she did not let them dampen her desire to serve our mission.
As a very active member of the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, she was well known and loved in the Rockford Diocese, and many listened to her story of THP. At her parish, St. Laurence in Elgin, IL, Jill constantly went to bat for THP. In Rockford, the THP Development Office quickly learned to call upon Jill for help with events.
In all areas of her life, Jill was a woman of great skill, compassion, and endless generosity. THP President Patrick Moynihan writes, “When I think of Jill, I think of a well--a well so deep and full that it never empties. She was amazing at giving. Her support, and Jim's, too, helped us grow and move forward. I suppose I also think of pancakes too. Above all, I think of Jill when I need a reminder of what real faith can do.”
Jill’s relationship with THP began through a mission trip, but LCS’s motto of Matthew 10:8 (“What you receive for free, you must give for free.”) was present in her heart long before she set foot in Haiti. A Third Order Franciscan, she was a model of service and simplicity throughout her life. In Jill, many in the Rockford Diocese (and beyond) found a friend and an inspiration.
Jill died this past March after receiving hospice care in her home for a short time. There is no doubt that in her final days Jill was praying for us and that she remains with us now in a very special way.
