Jeffrey L. Guendling

Jeffrey Lynn Guendling, Mokena, Illinois resident Jeffrey Lynn Guendling passed away in his home on March 20, 2024. He was 64 years old.

Jeffrey lived his entire life in Mokena. He was born to Frederick W. Guendling Jr. and Ardith Guendling on August 2, 1959, at Silver Cross Hospital. He came home from the hospital to the same house where his family still lives today. As an adult, Jeff bought his own home just five minutes away.

Jeff attended Carpenter Street School and Willowcrest Grade School in Mokena, and Lincoln Way Central High School in New Lenox. Throughout his school years, he played baseball and other sports. His father (who passed Oct. 5, 2022) coached his school teams, the Yankees and the Tigers (and coached his sibling’s school teams as well). Jeff’s whole family was involved in sports, and regularly supported each other, and would eventually compete as adults. Jeff and his parents and siblings teamed up to golf regularly, and bowl as well. One year, they joined a mixed bowling league and eventually won first place. That winning Guendling family team was known as “Top Gun.” Jeff grew up in a close family home, where he learned to love hard, work hard, and play hard.

When Jeff turned 18, he immediately began volunteering for the Mokena Fire Department, staying a volunteer until they became a paid organization. He was a Certified EMT from the South Suburban Hospital American College of Surgeons EMT program. He was also certified as a firefighter and a certified/trained engineer, who ran the water pumps on the fire trucks. He was proud to be part of the volunteer leadership team in those years. Jeff earned his five-year volunteer pin and was a volunteer for nine years total. His family remembers his love and commitment to the fire department. Even in heavy snow winters, he’d jump on a snowmobile and go to fire calls.

Professionally, Jeff was a popular operator for top plumbing, sewer and water companies in the area. He was a member of 150 International Union of Operating Engineers for 36 years. He was known for being a hard worker.

When he wasn’t working, Jeff was playing hard. If he wasn’t working on his maroon Ford F150, or his 1967 Camaro drag racer, he’d be at a NASCAR event or a monster truck show. Or he’d be mudding, snowmobiling, fishing, golfing, bowling, or playing billiards or euchre. He was good at everything he participated in. He was a winner of sports multiple times, especially in golfing and bowling. Between family get-togethers, hobbies, sports, competitions, and other events, Jeff could be found at the local VFW or at Little Al’s, connecting and laughing with his best friends of many years. If Jeff was hard to track down, everyone knew to look for his F150 at the VFW, where he also spent time cheering for his favorite teams: the Chicago Sox and Chicago Bears.

Jeffrey is survived by his mother, Ardith Guendling, and his siblings Frederick "Fred" William Guendling III (Nancy) of Joliet, Brenda Guendling of Mokena, and Carrie Guendling of Frankfort, his aunts, Elaine Stauffer of Phoenix, Arizona, and Shirley Guendling of Mokena, his nephew Joshua (Tracy) Pollack and great niece Isabella of Joliet, in addition to various cousins.

He is preceded in death by his father, Frederick “Fritz” William Guendling Jr., his paternal grandparents Frederick and Helen Guendling Sr., and his maternal grandparents Colby and Oda Eriksen, his uncles, William Guendling, Donald Guendling, Kenneth Eriksen, and Don Stauffer, his aunt, Jean Albrecht, and cousin, Kenneth Duane Eriksen.

A Memorial for Jeffrey Guendling will be held Saturday, April 27, 2024, 12-2 p.m. at St. John’s United Church of Christ, Mokena, where he was baptized as an infant and completed confirmation. A Celebration of Jeff Guendling’s Life service will be at 2-3 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Jeff’s honor to St. John’s UCC Memorial Fund, 11100 Second Street Mokena, IL 60448, or to the Mokena Fire Protection District Memorial Fund, 19853 S. Wolf Road, Mokena, IL 60448.