Jerome D. Petty

Jerome D. Petty, 67, of Polk, Nebraska, formerly of Sutherland and Aurelia, Iowa passed away after a long battle with cancer. 

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, September 6, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. at the Stromsburg Evangelical Free Church with Pastor Keet Redden officiating.  Visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 6th from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the church.  There will be a Celebration of Life at the Sutherland Church of Christ in Sutherland, IA on Saturday, September 10, 2022 at 11 a.m.

Jerome was born on September 2, 1954 in Cherokee, Iowa to Ruth Ann (Trojahn) and Clyde L. Petty. He grew up on the family farm North of Quimby, Iowa in Cherokee County. He graduated from Willow Community School in 1972. During high school, Jerome worked at several odd jobs. After graduation, he worked for Wilson Food in Cherokee for 27 years, then he worked Maintenance at Wells Blue Bunny at LeMars, Iowa for 5 years. In 2007 Jerome became an independent trucker, and drove until illness forced him to retire in 2021.

Jerome enjoyed various hobbies over the years. His passion was building and driving dragsters, watching them on TV, and attending swap meets. In 1978 Jerome won the season Championship in his class at Humbolt, Iowa. He also enjoyed working with the youth of Sutherland, Iowa through the Sutherland Recreational Corporation (SRC), improving their lives and the community as a whole. Jerome enjoyed buying fixer-upper homes, remodeling them and living in the homes. 

During the years Jerome lived in Sutherland, he was very involved in the Church of Christ. He taught Sunday School, and served on the church board as a deacon, an elder, and president of the board.

Jerome married Debra Wilkes on May 24, 1975. They divorced in 2015. On January 14, 2016 Jerome married Patricia (Patty) Lofquist. Jerome is survived by his wife, Patty; his three adult children, Matthew (Tammy) of Brandon, South Dakota, Anthony of Springer, New Mexico, Elaine (Candie) (Zach) Poulson of Remsen, Iowa. He is also survived by four adult step-children, D. Bryan Lofquist Jr. of Westminster, Colorado, Daniel (Jessica) Lofquist of Garden City, Kansas, Dustin (Kim) Lofquist of Atkinson, Nebraska, and Daphne (Josh Kneifel) Lofquist of Silver Spring, Maryland. Also surviving are his father-in-law, Rev. Willis Pauls; sister-in-law, Saundra Burks of Lenora, North Carolina; and brother-in-law, David (Becky) Pauls of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Jerome is also survived by eight siblings, Connie Kendrick of Sandusky, Ohio, Linda (Don) Lane of Sigourney, Iowa, Deborah (Dale) Jorgensen of Alcester, South Dakota, Herschel (Clare) Petty of Belpre, Ohio, Reginald (Denise) Petty of Washta, Iowa, Angela Olson (Steve Pick) of Hartington, Nebraska, Vonda (Timothy) Stowell of Cherokee, Iowa, Melissa (Jack) Burtlow of Des Moines, Iowa. Also surviving are 18 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.

Jerome was preceded in death by his father, Clyde on April 3, 1984; his mother, Ruth Ann on June 14, 2006; his still-born sister, Roberta Laurel, on August 23, 1956; and brother-in-law, Thomas Hinds, on October 18, 1991; and he was preceded in death by all four grandparents.

Memorials are suggested to the family to be designated at a later time.  Condolences may be sent to the family at www.soltwagnerfuneral.com.