Jerry was six when his parents moved back to Deshler, Nebraska because his mother was pregnant and had been diagnosed with Polio. At that age his mother passed away after giving birth to a baby girl. He and his brothers Kenneth and Leslie were raised by their grandparents, Victor and Rosa Worm and Emma Oeltjen, on the Worms farm. Grandma Rosa told Jerry stories about how Grandpa Victor would take the three boys to a little pond near their farm. He would give them each a stick with a fishing lined tied to each stick, with something shiny tied to the bottom of the line (no hooks). He would let them fish a long as they wanted to. The sweet part was, there was no fish in the pond, but the three little boys didn’t know that. Jerry could remember this memory of his grandfather. Jerry was six when he started first grade at Friedensau Lutheran school. He later attended school at Saint Peters Lutheran school. After several years, Jerry’s father took the three boys and moved to Lincoln. There, Jerry attended Huntington school, Dawes Jr. High, Northeast High school, and attended Waverly High school his senior year.
He married his high school sweetheart, Lynda Howard on November 11th, 1965. On May 8, 1956, Jerry and Linda were blessed with the birth of their first daughter, Kari Lyn. Jerry joined the Navy in 1964 and went active February 1966. He was stationed on the USS Pocono which was a Flagship. He was discharged from the Navy on August 5th, 1970. After that Jerry worked at American Stores for 9 ½ years and then worked at Cushmans for over 30 years as a welder.
Jerry loved watching Nebraska football games, Nascar and going to high school football games. Most of all he loved the outdoors and camping. Him and Lynda camped for over 55 years. They belonged to the Independent Order Of Foresters, and Jerry was head of their camping club for 10 years. Those years were fun. The couple camped all over Nebraska. Jerry and Lynda became hosts for the state parks for 12 years. Jerry’s greatest love next to his family was fishing, he fished anytime he got a chance. He loved to fish for trout at Two Rivers Park. Jerry loved country music and working with wood. He built all the woodwork in the new addition, when the house was built.
Jerry was preceded in death by his daughter, Kari Lyn Worm, his parents Dorothy and Delbert Worm, Rosa & Victor Worm, and Emma Oeltjen and brothers, Bill and Steve Hickerson, Vernon and Michael Worm, Sisters, Linda (Worm) Allen, and Kathleen Worm. He is survived by his wife, Lynda, their family dogs, Aby and Winston, brothers, Kenneth (Ginnie) Worm, and Leslie (Jolene) Worm, brother in law, Wes Allen, sisters, Dusty (Worm), LaVon (Worm) Cassell, and Amy Joe Worm, cousins and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral Services will be held 1:00 pm Wednesday, December 28th 2022, at St. Lukes United Methodist Church, 1621 Superior St. There will be a family viewing and gathering Tuesday night from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Roper and Sons, 4300 “O” Street. Memorials to Hearts United for Animals, P.O. Box 286, Auburn, Ne. 68305 or to the family.