As told by Pat Timmerman, edited by Kristi Anderson
When Pat Timmerman speaks about her son, 1st Lt. Jason Gary Timmerman, it is with a mixture of pride, tenderness and the steady faith that has carried her family through unimaginable loss.
Jason, a member of the Minnesota National Guard’s 151st Field Artillery, was killed Feb. 21, 2005, along with Staff Sgt. David Day and Sgt. Jesse Lhotka, when an explosive device detonated as they carried an injured comrade to a medical helicopter in Iraq. He was 24.
“It was a parent’s worst nightmare,” Pat said. “Our precious son was gone.”
Jason was born March 20, 1980, in Marshall, Minnesota. His arrival was fast and complicated, she said, requiring nearly two weeks of hospital care.
“We had hoped for a daughter,” Pat said, “but God wanted us to appreciate this special boy.”
His older brothers, Eric and Craig, adored him from the start, and five years later, Jason welcomed his younger brother, Travis, with the same protective love he showed throughout his life.
Jason grew up with a tender heart and a deep love for nature. He collected “special rocks,” camped often with family and friends and earned the nickname “Cookie Monster” for his enthusiasm for baking — and eating — cookies. He played football, loved drumming in the high school band and enjoyed summer softball. He worked hard on the family farm, where he learned responsibility early and took pride in doing every task well.
He carried that same integrity into adulthood. As a high school math teacher in Lake Benton, he was known for his humor and kindness. Jason could be heard telling students in the cafeteria “Eat your dessert first in case you don’t have room!”
Pat remembers one story well: when Jason was tasked with selling his college roommates’ clothes dryer, he instead fixed the broken dryer of the woman who wanted to buy it.
“He never took advantage of anyone,” she said. “He always did what was right, no matter the cost.”
Jason joined the National Guard as a high school junior, knowing he wanted to serve his country. He took great pride in his uniform — especially his perfectly shined shoes and earned extra money shining boots for fellow soldiers. He was equally proud when Travis later joined the Guard. During deployment, Jason became known as the “Bible Thumper” for consistently asking, “What do we have set up for church services for our soldiers?”
Faith was a stronghold in the Timmerman house. Jason’s brother Craig answered his own vocational call to the priesthood. He now serves as pastor of the Divine Mercy Area Faith Community with churches in Sleepy Eye, Leavenworth, Morgan and Comfrey.
“Jason accomplished more in his short 25 years than many do in a lifetime,” Pat said. “Helping others was always his top priority, and that’s what he was doing the day he died.”
In the aftermath of his death, Pat struggled to understand why her son was taken.
“I just wanted to lie down and die,” she said. But her husband, Gary, offered a perspective she has never forgotten: “Jason is the lucky one. He got to heaven in just short of 25 years. Most of us wait 60, 70, 80 years to get there.”
Faith, family and friends — “the three F’s,” as Pat calls them — became the foundation of their healing. Cards poured in from across the country, including one from a World War II veteran who had once carried an injured comrade and wanted the family to know he was thinking of them.
“We were surrounded by love,” Pat said. “We couldn’t have survived without it.”
The family faced another challenge when Travis returned to Iraq shortly after Jason’s funeral. His homecoming months later was marked by the emotional distance that often accompanies trauma. Over time, and with the support of his wife, Travis sought help with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
“It’s still a work in progress,” Pat said, “but he has come a long way.”
Pat now speaks openly about the importance of mental health support for veterans.
“War wounds are not only physical,” she said. “PTSD is real. If you’re struggling, please reach out. You deserve help, and so does your family.”
Six years ago, Pat lost her husband, Gary, to cancer. GriefShare, a Christian support program, helped her navigate that loss. She now serves as a facilitator.
“I realized I wasn’t alone,” she said. “Helping others is my way of giving back all the love and support we received.”
Pat encourages others to support veterans and their families in simple, meaningful ways — “a kind word, a phone call, a visit, a meal, a hug, a card.” She often thinks of Jason’s example and a familiar Scripture passage from John 5:13, “There is no greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
“He always took the time to help anyone in need,” she said. “We can honor him by doing the same.”
Thanks for sharing your heart Pat