Jesus “Jesse” Hernandez

Jesus “Jesse” Hernandez, age 67, passed away on May 4th, 2026, in Milwaukee, WI

Jesse was born on July 31,1958 in Crystal City, Tx. He was born the third of 8 children to the late Crescencia & Virgilio Hernandez. Jesse came from a large and loving family and carried deep love and pride for each and every one of them. As a young boy and into his early teens, Jesse traveled with his family to work on different farms in Minnesota & Wisconsin. He eventually settled in Milwaukee, WI where he completed highschool and college.

In 1981, he met the love of his life Giovanna Matera, they would marry 6 months later. Their first daughter Melissa was born 1 year later in 1983 with their youngest child Michelle joining the family in 1989, where they were finally complete as a family of four. He was a devoted husband and father to his wife and his girls and there was never a time he was not there for them, they were the center of his world.

Jesse was a dedicated employee for the City of Milwaukee-Water Works department for 32 years where he started as a repairman, working to repair broken water mains throughout the city. He held different roles throughout his time and eventually retired in 2018 as a Manager. He worked tirelessly throughout his career and he cherished his many friendships he had with “the guys” as he would call them.

Known as “Papa,” to Graziella, Junie, Enzo, & Gio, Jesse loved his four grandchildren more than anything in this world and they brought him so much joy. They could always count on Papa to have Watermelon Sour Patch candies for each of them at every visit.

Jesse was also a loving father-in-law to Lemonica Hernandez, who held a special place in his heart. They often worked on DIY projects together and shared a passion for “not hiring someone when you can fix it yourself.”

Jesse will be remembered for his hilarious sense of humor, his enormous heart, his helping hand, his unwavering support, and his immense love for his family. Though he will be greatly missed, he has left his loved ones with countless memories that they will cherish forever.

Jesse is survived by his beloved wife Giovanna “Joanne” Hernandez, his two daughters Melissa (Lemonica) Hernandez, & Michelle Hernandez, his four grandchildren, Graziella, Lamares Jr., Lorenzo, & Giovanni, his 7 siblings Lilia Luna (Pepe), Virgil Hernandez (Maria), Fernando Hernandez, Carlos Hernandez (Rosa), Carmen Amaro (Federico), Antonio Hernandez, Andres Hernandez (Ana), and his sister-in-laws Teresa Grasso, Antonia Lentini (Salvatore), Rosa Napoli, Michaela Ordonez (Salvador), Rita Pesquiera (Miguel) and Rosa Matera.

Jesse is also survived by his many, many, nieces and nephews whom he loved dearly and countless friends.

In the spirit of Jesse’s well-known sense of humor, ” Better me, than you.”

Visitation 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM, with service to follow at 7:00 PM, on Friday, May 15, 2026 at Krause Funeral Home, 12401 West National Avenue, New Berlin, Wisconsin.

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