Birth: July 12, 1934
Death: November 21, 2016
Location: Lot 16, Section 3, New Addition
WOOD RIVER — Gerald Walter “Jerry” Gewecke, 82, of Wood River died Monday, Nov. 21, 2016, at home.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Apfel Funeral Home in Wood River, with Derek Apfel, CFC, officiating. Burial will be at a later date.
Jerry Gewecke was born July 12, 1934, in Kearney at Good Samaritan Hospital, the son of Walter F. and Vera (Byers) Gewecke. He grew up south of Kearney and west of Alda, where he farmed with his dad. Jerry attended Alda public school and entered the work force at a young age, working for the Kearney sugar beet factory. Jerry also worked at the Grand Island Airport and flew his Piper Cub J-3.
Jerry was hired by the REA and shortly began his own business with his wife, Donna, as an electrician “AKA” Gewecke Electric.
Jerry married Donna Lucille Sheeks on June 22, 1952, in Wood River at the Presbyterian Church. They shared 64 years together. To this union, three children were born, Valarie Klein of St. Paul, Craig (Donna) Gewecke of Gillette, Wyo., and Vickie (Jamie) Sich of Chapman; grandchildren are Anthony (Althea) Klein, Phillip (Sydney) Klein, Mark (Diana) Klein, Kyle (Natalie) Gewecke, Tyrel (special friend, Tara) Gewecke, Eric Gewecke, James V (Sellenee) Sich, and Lindsey Sich, as well as 14 great-grandchildren who all loved him dearly.
Jerry loved the outdoors almost as much as he loved his family. Jerry enjoyed camping, water skiing, hunting, fishing, trapshooting, gardening and flying airplanes, saying he was the oldest student pilot he knew. Our dad was a man of many talents; all of our homes benefited from his energy and skills. Jerry enjoyed traveling with Donna and covered the USA, from Florida to Alaska. Jerry was a storyteller, with not many of them being tall tales; his life stories were very educating and offered freely.
Jerry is survived by his family, brothers-in-law and numerous nieces and nephews and was loved deeply by all friends.
Jerry was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Dale Sr.; and one great-grandchild, Chris.