Gerald "Jerry" Lee Yurek

Jerry was born on May 16th, 1942, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Edward Lawrence and Lorena Mary (Gibson) Yurek of Fort Thomas, Kentucky.

Growing up in Ft. Thomas, KY, he was an extremely active youth with many interests, including squirrel hunting with his .22 caliber rifle in the forest across the street from his childhood home. He displayed an entrepreneurial spirit at an early age, selling the squirrel pelts to fund his many hobbies.

Jerry was an accomplished billiards player, as his parents owned a pool table which he used regularly – especially when he was grounded for getting in trouble. He often competed for money as a teenager at local pool halls.

Jerry excelled at baseball and football in elementary school, earning a rarely offered athletic scholarship to Saint Xavier Catholic High School. He learned how to waterski, one of his life-long passions, while on a family vacation in Miami, Florida. He regularly practiced his faith in our Lord, Jesus Christ, by serving Mass as an altar boy throughout elementary school and high school.

Jerry met his first wife, Joy Olivia (Young) at his high school senior prom and graduated high school in 1960. He went on to study business administration at the University of Cincinnati and married Joy in 1961.

Jerry and Joy had four children during their 7-year marriage: Kellie Lee (Strawn), Gerald (Jerry) Lee II, Holly Lee (Standall), deceased November, 2021, and Jennifer Ann (Wansik).

Wanting to be closer to his parents, Jerry moved to Las Vegas, NV in 1968 with Kellie and Holly. There he met and married his wife, Michaelene (Mikkie), in 1970. During their 53-year marriage they remained very active in professional and recreational waterskiing, riding their Harley Davidson motorcycles, dirt bikes, ATVs, playing billiards, and hitting the golf course. Together they had five children in Las Vegas: Darcy Lynn (Jones), Lawrence Kasper, Julia Josephine (Twitchell), Robert Edward, and Lorena Jo (Spencer), deceased July, 2017.

Jerry, Mikkie, Julia, Robert and Lorena moved from Las Vegas, NV to Dammeron Valley, Utah over 17 years ago after Jerry retired from his position as regional manager from Del Taco. During retirement, he continued to enjoy his Harley Davidson motorcycles, golfing and riding ATVs. Even in the last month of his life he was still riding his Quad with family in tow. Throughout his life, Jerry adhered to his father’s advice: “What every you do, do it better than anyone else!”.

Jerry is survived by his younger brother, Edward Lawrence Yurek II, wife, Mikkie, seven of his nine children, 27 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren. Wow, what an amazing legacy!

A viewing will be held at Leeds LDS Chapel in Leeds, UT on Monday, February 13, 2023 from 6:00 to 7:00 PM MST.

A visitation for Gerald will be held Wednesday, February 15, 2023 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM PST at Palm Eastern Mortuary, 7600 S Eastern Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89123. A funeral service will occur at 12:00 PM with interment to follow.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.palmeastern.com for the Yurek family.