George Benton Jerred died October 15 at Western Nebraska Veterans home in Scottsbluff, NE. Cremation was chosen. A Memorial Service will be held at The Vine Church of Scottsbluff on Wednesday, October 18 at 1:30 P.M. with Pastor Joe Schumacher officiating. A reception will follow the service at the church. Memorials are suggested in care of Linda Barrett, to be designated at a later date. Online Condolences may be left at www.bridgmanfuneralhome.com.
George was the son of George and Margie Jerred. He was born on October 20, 1926, in White River, South Dakota. He grew up on a farm in a family of five brothers and two sisters. He went to school through the 8th grade, then worked on farms and followed his parents to Gering. Prior to that, he proudly served in the U.S. Army from 1944 to the end of WWII in the Pacific. He was discharged from the Army while serving in Seoul, Korea after his brother Howard died serving in Austria.
George met Dolores (DeDe) Knotts, who lived in the same neighborhood as his parents in Gering and married her in 1948. Their first home was a tiny trailer on the Jim Biggs farm in Banner County. George and DeDe said their first home was so small DeDe could cook breakfast while lying in Bed. Their daughter Margie was born while they lived on the Biggs farm, and Linda and son Roy followed over the next few years while George worked on the Darnell farm and on the road crew in Banner County before working on the Ralph Anderson farm for 28 years. George started his own farm and ranch operation after Ralph rented George the ranch he’d been living on and sold him the cow herd he’d been managing for Ralph. George operated his ranch until he sold his cows and moved to Harrisburg at age 65. He continued to farm and raise hay for a few years after moving to Harrisburg before retiring.
After 54 years of a love filled marriage, DeDe died in 2002 and George continued living in their Harrisburg home. At age 83, George attended a class reunion in South Dakota and became reacquainted with an old friend, Delores Veskrna, and married her in 2010 at age 84. George and Delores moved to the Western Nebraska Vets home in 2013.
George will be remembered by all who knew him as a person with a huge heart and an even temper who never had a bad word to say about anyone. He was a devoted farmer and rancher who loved his work and was a great steward of the soil.
He was preceded in death by his first wife DeDe; brothers Howard, Lyle, and Corky; his sister Mary; grandson Ryan Jerred, and great grandchild Chance Barrett.
George is survived by brother Tommy; sister Lenora; three children and spouses, Margie (Bruce) Madden, Linda (Dan) Barrett, and Roy (Carol) Jerred; his wife Delores; 15 grandchildren; 26 great grandchildren, and 3 great-great grandchildren.
George’s family wants to give a special thank you to the staff of Western Nebraska Veterans home. While there, George was treated with kindness and affection by a wonderful team of caregivers.