Jerry R. Burr

Jerry R. Burr, 82, of Kearney, formerly of Sumner, died September 9, 2024 at the Mother Hull Home in Kearney. Memorial Services will be 10:30 am, September 13, 2024, at the United Church of Sumner East Campus with Pastor Ken Hutson officiating. Burial will follow at the Sumner Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Sumner Volunteer Fire Department or the United Church of Sumner. Jerry Roy Burr was born on November 16, 1941, at the hospital in Lexington, NE to Erma (McClintick) and Walter “Dutch” Burr. This was 21 days before the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor plunged the US into World War II. He grew up on the farm near Eddyville where Dutch farmed and worked as a carpenter. His early years were spent learning the ways of farm life and everyday skills and commencing his formal education in Eddyville. He was joined at home with his brother David in 1946, and sister Janet in 1950, and mourned the passing of infant brother Benjamin in 1943. Jerry later gained 3 step-siblings (Bill, Mick, and Mary Ann) when Dutch married Sylvia Keyser in 1966. In February 1953, Jerry’s mother Erma died suddenly. This left Jerry as the “big kid” in the household and had to step up his responsibilities in the young family. In addition to developing a bachelor-esque set of house-keeping skills, he discovered he was a natural born baker. He latched on to the old-country recipes learned from his German immigrant grandparents and for the rest of his life he would supply a small lucky part of the world with cookies, bread, and “egg pancakes”. After surviving the era of leather helmets in high school football, Jerry completed his formal education in 1960 upon graduation from Eddyville High School. He continued to work on the farm at home and as a hired hand for various local farmers. He was known as “Jerry Roy” to many and was well respected for his work ethic and fun-loving personality. In the summer of 1964, Jerry’s lifelong friend and future brother-in-law Jim Sleicher convinced him to go out with a farm girl from Sumner by the name of Kathleen Triplett. It remains unclear if Jim was trying to advance Jerry’s interests or his own interests in Kathie’s sister Sandra (Jim’s future wife) but in either case Jerry and Kathie caught fire quickly and on October 3, 1964 they were married at the Baptist Church in Kearney, NE. October 3, 2024 would have been their 60th wedding anniversary. Not only did Jerry get a new wife on a fall day in 1964, but he also got an immediate upgrade to family size 3. Kathie’s son Jeff had just turned 2. Likely the term “upgrade” may have been questionable at times as family member #3 turned out to have a sharp tongue, good grades, and compelling arguments about how life should go. Jerry stood the course and set the family standards of hard work, kindness, inclusion, and consideration of others. He was able to prevail and added “successful parent” to the list of life accomplishments. The rest of the 1960’s brought full-time work on the farm, living and working for various farmers in the Sumner, Eddyville, and Miller areas, and setting up a solid base of support for the newly consolidated Sumner-Eddyville-Miller school district. In June of 1971, Jerry and Kathie added a new chapter to their lives when infant son Tom was welcomed into their home. Tom brought a whole new set of experiences to their lives. He was an outstanding athlete with a soft heart and many friends and somewhat less enamored of academics. Jerry supported him completely and was always on the sideline or in the bleachers for games, including the occasional suggestion for modification of the officiating of these contests. Tom followed his father’s footsteps working out for several farmers and demonstrating the same kind nature and work ethic as Jerry. In 1999, Kathie’s daughter Sherry rejoined the family after growing up with an adoptive family in Walden, CO. Jerry opened his heart to her and welcomed her and her children to the clan. Sherry was a jokester at heart just like Jerry and this cemented the bond. Sherry relocated to the central Nebraska area and Jerry was able to enjoy supporting her and her children in their activities. It was like the 35-year gap never existed. Jerry continued his work with area farmers when he went to work for the local co-op in 1978. This was the start of a 25-year career during which he worked at the Sumner service station, operated the mobile tire service truck, and fuel delivery tank wagon. After his retirement in 2003, he also worked seasonally for the co-op and for Bowie Fertilizer operating fertilizer nurse trucks. Further retirement work included seasonal harvest work with Steve O’Neill and his sons. Jerry greatly enjoyed these post-retirement assignments. Throughout his life Jerry was a supportive community member. He was a member of the local fire department for many years and served as the Fire Chief for the Sumner Volunteer Fire Department. He served on the Sumner Town Board and as the Mayor of Sumner as well. He also had memberships in the Eddyville Lions Club, Eddyville Rodeo Club, and Sumner Commercial Club. Many will recall Jerry’s delight in sharing home baked cookies and banana bread as well as the bounties of his large garden on the back lot of his cherished home in Sumner. He was a profound Christmas display decorator and weak-hearted trick or treaters knew they should just pass on by! Jerry was a Christian. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Sumner and subsequently the United Church of Sumner. He served on many committees and participated in bible studies and church activities. His singing voice was known to those who sat in front of him and likely he got a new one of those along with the rest of his renewed body at heaven’s door. Those who knew Jerry will know him as a kind, decent, hard-working man who took great joy in many simple things in life. His “grumpy” crust was easily peeled back to reveal a soft and fun-loving core with a twinkle in his eye. The special thing about Jerry’s life was how common it was. In the light of day, the brightness of the sun reigns supreme. But at the end of the day, the night sky is filled with a million points of light and we can feel the glory of god’s universe. Jerry was one of those points of light and though he is no longer with us in the physical world, that light will shine on forever.

Tributes

Jerry R. Burr

November 16, 1941 - September 9, 2024