65638_Jerome “Jerry”_Payer
BELMOND — Jerome (Jerry) Payer, age 81, of Belmond, passed away Sunday, Jan. 6, 2013, at the Oakwood Care Center in Clear Lake.
A Mass of Christian Burial for Jerry Payer will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 9, at the St Francis Xavier Catholic Church 1207 Third St. N.E. in Belmond. The Rev. Monsignor Joseph Slepicka and Deacon Jerry Temeyer will officiate. Burial will take place in the St. Francis Cemetery near Belmond.
Visitation for Jerry Payer will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. today, Tuesday, Jan. 8, at the Dugger Funeral Home, 111 Luick’s Lane South in Belmond and continue one hour prior to services at the church on Wednesday. A Parish Rosary will be held at 6:30 p.m. today at the Dugger Funeral Home.
Jerome, the son of John and Agnes Stoulil Payer, was born November 5, 1931, in Pocahontas, Iowa. He received his education at Roosevelt No. 8 Country School and then Pocahontas Catholic.
Jerry Payer was united in marriage to Bernice Heddinger on June 5, 1950, in Rolfe, Iowa. Jerry and Bernice had three children. The family made their home in Pocahontas for 14 years, where they farmed. Jerry and Bernice moved to Belmond in 1964, where they continued to farm “the section.“Over the course of the years that followed, Jerry and Bernice owned the Manly Ready Mix; Jerry trucked; and Jerry and Bernice were managers of Motel 6 in Topeka, Kan. They moved back to Belmond to retire in 1991. But, also, at this time, Jerry worked part time driving the CAT bus between Belmond and Clarion.
Jerry loved fishing. He also loved a good game of Yahtzee; 10,000 dice; and playing cards. Jerry had a great sense of humor and his words of wisdom as you left his door was to always “keep smiling.” Bernice preceded him in death in 2008. In 2009, Jerry married Elsie Rossiter.
Jerry is survived by his wife of three years, Elsie Rossiter, Glendale, Ariz. Three children: Connie (Jim) Eckhoff of Meservey; Steven (Lynda) Payer of Cottonwood, Ariz.; and Richard (Laura) Payer, of Mason City; grandchildren, Kimberly (John) Grzywacz, of Huxley; Brian Eckhoff, of Belmond, Andrew (Kjersti Vick) Beavers of Lutsen, Minn., Lindsay (Scott) Rollefson of Mason City, and Jonathon (Katterine) Payer of Lutsen, Minn.; great-grandchildren: Emily Grzywacz, Jeremy Grzywacz, Danielle Wilkinson, Jeremiah Wilkinson, Jonah Grzywacz, Benjamin Eckhoff and Baby Rollefson in July, 2013; sisters, Doris Pickering, Lexington Ky.; Geraldine Jordan, Boone; brothers Duane (Shirley) Payer, Centerville, Ronald Payer, Pocahontas, Bob (Patty) Payer, Storm Lake; sisters-in-law, Esther Payer, Pocahontas, Karlene Payer, Pocahontas, Eileen Allen, Chatfield, Minn., Lucy (Ron) Johnson, Cedar Falls, Catherine Mead, Aplington, Darlene Weishaar, Oelwein; Joyce Heddinger, Fort Dodge, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Jerry was preceded in death by his parents; wife Bernice; infant grandson, Thomas Jerome (T.J.) Payer; sister Bernice Noyes; brothers Jack Payer and Raymond Payer.
Dugger Funeral Home, 111 Luick’s Lane South, Belmond, 641-444-3248, www.duggerfunerals.com.
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