John R Moreland

John "Jack" Ronald Moreland, age 68, of Danville, Illinois, passed away July 21, 2025, at his home of natural causes. He was born April 18, 1957, in Chicago to the late John E. Moreland and Lillian May (Weigel). Jack was raised in Dolton and attended Franklin and Lincoln schools as well as Thornridge High School and Olive Harvey College. He was active in sports, excelling in baseball and wrestling, and was a lifelong Chicago Bears and Cubs fan. Jack enlisted in the U.S. Army and served from 1976 to 1980 in the 12th Engineer Battalion Echo Company, also known as “River Rats”. While in Dexheim, Germany, he was the amphibious mobile assault bridge instructor for emergency transport and ferrying of high-tech military equipment when bridges were unavailable. Jack was the recipient of various awards including the National Defense Service Medal and qualified expert with the M16 rifle and hand grenade. Jack grew up working with his father at CIDAIR Structures in the manufacturing business of air inflated structures that provided chemical and biological protection for military personnel. In 1975, he worked on a special air supported structure which provided cold weather protection to support construction activity on the Alaskan pipeline. During his career, he implemented secondary‑containment systems for leaking underground storage tanks used by major oil companies and helped install large above‑ground tank systems designed by his father. Jack also designed and installed custom grain storage systems, as well as large geotextile liners for environmental protection at landfills. His construction experience included commercial, defense, industrial and residential projects. He was a Jack of all trades and could fix anything. Since childhood, he would take things apart, virtually anything such as bicycles, radios, lawnmowers, etc., to determine how they worked and would put them back together. Jack was a devoted, loving father and grandfather. He raised his family in Nappanee and Plymouth, Indiana, and later lived in Bradenton, Florida; West Lafayette, Indiana; Fort Lewis, Washington; and finally, Danville, Illinois. Baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, he carried a strong Christian faith throughout his life. He ministered to many, sharing the gospel with people he met along the way. Jack was a fierce protector of his family and fellow veterans. For years he was a disabled veteran and lived in VA housing in Danville, where he was compassionate, inspirational, and a motivator to others. Talkative by nature, he was a natural storyteller who loved recounting episodes from his life, often punctuated by his own boisterous, contagious laugh. Jack loved rock and roll. He had a great voice and loved to sing. He missed the old days of riding his motorcycle. Jack is survived by his loving son, John “Jack” (Michelle) Moreland of Hobart, IN; his grandchildren, Jackson, Alexander, and Zoey Moreland of Hobart, IN, and Robert and Chloe Hostetler of Hobart, IN; and his former wife and mother of his children, Jeanne (Gross) Walker. He will be dearly missed by his sisters, Pam Moreland-Doup (John Doup), of Beecher, IL, Debbie (Dennis) Hall of Burlington, WI, Mary Lou Moreland of Beecher, IL and Peggy (late David) Forbes of Tallahassee, FL, and his brother, Larry (Victoria) Moreland of Lawton, MI, as well as by many cousins, nieces, nephews, friends and the veteran community in Danville, IL. In addition to his loving parents, Jack was preceded in death by his children, Allissa (Moreland) Hostetler and Matthew Moreland, and his brother-in-law David Forbes. Visitation will be held Saturday, August 2, 2025, from 10:00am-12:00pm CDT and funeral service at 12:00pm at Hack-Jensen Funeral Home, 753 Hodges Street in Beecher, Illinois. Interment will be at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, 20953 W. Hoff Road, Elwood, IL 60421, on August 4, 2025, at 1:30pm CDT with full military honors. Hack-Jensen Funeral Home, Beecher, Illinois, is handling the arrangements and can be reached at 708-946-2161. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the family, Gary Sinise Foundation or similar veteran charity.