Jerry graduated from high school in Kingsdown in 1950 and then attended Dodge City Junior College on a full-ride scholarship for football. While there, he also played basketball and ran track, receiving many accolades including ‘Player of the Year’. He then transferred to Kansas State University to study Civil Engineering and graduated in 1954. Jerry was drafted into the United States Army after receiving an educational deferment in 1955 and was sent overseas to Germany in 1956 to work on reconstruction. After returning from overseas, Jerry worked 8 years for the Kansas Highway Commission and finished out his career with Brose Construction as General Manager and retired in 1998 after 35 years of hard-working service.
Jerry met his future bride, Enid (Barton) Gumm, in December 1951 and they were married on June 7th, 1953 at First Presbyterian Church in Dodge City. After marrying, Enid and Jerry lived in Dighton as they started their family and finally settled in Dodge City until they moved in 2016.
Jerry had many hobbies and activities throughout his life, with his favorite being golf. Jerry loved K-State sports and was known to listen to each football and basketball game on the radio if it was not available on television. He enjoyed spending time with his many friends, attending church and volunteering his time in the community, especially the Friendship Feast, which he helped start in 2000. Most of all, he adored being a husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.
Jerry is survived by: his wife of 70 years in June, Enid of Olathe; children, Lisa Thompson (Ray) of Overbrook, Kathy Simpson of Auburn, Alabama and Nancy Bieberly of Olathe; 4 grandchildren, Ray Glenn Thompson (Jennifer), Clint Thompson (Nicole), Jared Simpson (Claire) and Mattie Bieberly (Matthew) and soon to be 5 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by: his parents, his sister Arlene Maddox, and his two brothers Bob Gumm and Keith Gumm.
Service will be held on Tuesday, May 30th at 10:00am at McGilley & Frye Funeral Home, 105 E Loula St Olathe, Kansas 66061. Burial will take place at Oak Lawn Memorial Gardens, Olathe, Kansas. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Friendship Feast of Dodge City in care of McGilley & Frye, 105 E Loula, Olathe, Kansas 66061.
