BOSCOBEL - Former Boscobel Police Officer Jeremy Kass passed away on Monday, Feb. 1 after a courageous battle with cancer.
Jeremy began with the Boscobel Police Department in 2011, however just a few short years later, he began a ongoing battle with various health issues. Despite these issues he continued to remain well respected and admired piece of the Boscobel community.
In David Krier’s Under the Bridge column he wrote “Jeremy Kass has been a full-time Boscobel police officer since 2011, working mostly the night shift. In addition to helping keep the community safe, he was also studying to be a registered nurse and an asset to the local hospital. Jeremy is also a husband and father of two young children who up until this past spring had a pretty nice life working, studying and raising a family in small town Wisconsin, but things took a drastic change for the worst in April (of 2018). That was the month Jeremy was diagnosed with Stage 4 colo-rectal cancer. While receiving chemotherapy for his cancer, Jeremy experienced double vision, and a brain tumor was subsequently discovered. He was immediately transferred to UW Hospital in Madison for brain surgery. During removal of the brain tumor, Jeremy suffered a stroke. After six weeks of rehab related to his stroke, Jeremy is back home in Boscobel and has restarted cancer treatments. He is currently on medical leave from the police department.” In addition to the illnesses noted above, Jeremy also underwent heart surgery to repair a hole in his heart, colon/rectal surgery for the cancer as well as enduring four years of chemotherapy. During all of his treatments, Jeremy loss hearing in his left ear and half of the vision In each of his eyes, with ultimately his whole right side being affected. If all of that wasn’t enough, Jeremy also contracted COVID, twice. As his wife wrote in his obituary, “Jeremy said to the universe, ‘What else you got for me?’”
Saw an ad
Jeremy’s wife, Nicolle shared that he came to Boscobel after seeing an ad in the paper for the job.
“We were living in Dodgeville at the time and I had seen an ad in the paper that the Boscobel Police Department was hiring so he decided to apply, and got the job,” Nicolle recalled. “He really enjoyed working with the Boscobel PD because he was able to help people in his community. While working as a police officer he was also going to nursing school to be a registered nurse because he believed since police were usually first on site that he could help even more with medical knowledge.”
Officer Travis Dregne worked with Jeremy since his start with the force in 2012.
“We spent a lot of time working night shift together,” Dregne recalled. “We had a lot of laughs and fun but also went on a lot of interesting calls together. Jeremy always had such a positive attitude. He always found the humor in things but was always very professional. It was a good balance in a small community.”
Volunteer work
Dregne shared that at one point, following his official retirement as an officer, Jeremy began volunteering at the department answering phone calls and helping “in anyway he could.”
“When you’re an officer its hard to step away from viewing the world through that lens,” Dregne explained of Jeremy’s ongoing dedication to the force. “He was very proud of being a cop.
In addition to his service as an officer and work to become a registered nurse, Jeremy also worked as the departments DATT instructor (instructing on arresting and handcuffing tactics), a Taser instructor as well as completing training with the evidence technician school.
Passing announced
On Feb. 2, Police Chief Jaden McCullick wrote on the Boscobel Police Department Facebook Page “The Boscobel Police Department would like to extend our deepest condolences to the family of former Boscobel Officer Jeremy Kass who passed away on February 1, 2022 after a courageous battle against cancer. The community of Boscobel will forever remember the good hearted, witty personality of Officer Kass. Our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Officer Kass.”
“He was definitely one of the best officers I’ve worked with over the years,” shared Boscobel Assistant Police Chief Kevin Copus. “We had a lot of good conversations. His quick wit and good humor made it very easy for people to relate to him.”
An outpouring of heartfelt support and memories of Jeremy from community members filled the comment section of the post.
“Our prayers go up to Jeremy’s family. When Jeremy first came to town he was such a tremendous relief to see in the middle of the night on squad calls, always ready to help wherever he could,” One individual shared.
“Our sympathies and prayers, sorry to hear this. I sat by Jeremy during a class at SWTC at the start of my nursing career and had the pleasure of being assigned as his partner during an in class project. He was quiet, thoughtful and incredibly intelligent,” shared another community member.
“Hugs and prayers to all family and friends. Officer Kass was one of the best on the Boscobel Police Department,” shared yet another individual.
“One day my friend and I were walking around town and we saw Jeremy heading into the office in his wheelchair, and he joked with us saying ‘Well gals I’d come with ya on your walk but you’d probably have a hard time keeping up with me!” Boscobel Dial Office Manager Barb Puckett shared of Jeremy, and the fact that although he was going through hard times, he never lost his sense of humor.
In addition to being a celebrated officer and member of the community, Jeremy was also a beloved family man.
“I love Jeremy’s smile,” shared his wife Nicolle. I told him it was like the Cheshire cat. He absolutely adored his family and would do anything for us. He was an avid reader, gamer, and most of all he loved to challenge himself to continue to grow as a person.”
Nicolle said the family is continuing to live day by day. Somehow navigating their world without the warmth and humor Jeremy provided. “He fought as long as he could to see his children grow,” Nicolle added.
“He loved his community,” Nicolle shared, adding that she has been so grateful for the support and help they’ve recovered in return from the community. “We are so grateful to our community with people who have reached out, the police department for helping with meals. St. Croix Hospice was amazing and Brian from Kendall Funeral Home helped us so much.”
In addition to working for the Boscobel Police Department, Jeremy also was employed by the Madison Capital Police, and Arena Police Departments.
A celebration of life party is planned for Jeremy on Saturday, May 7 at Kronsage Park in Boscobel. Nicolle noted that if folks would like to donate money towards the party they’d be welcome to. Or if they choose they could also donate in Jeremy’s Memory to the Boscobel Police Department.
