Jerome Ferrie

JEROME E. "JERRY" FERRIE

Cedar Rapids

Jerome E. "Jerry" Ferrie, 81, of Cedar Rapids, passed away on Oct. 16, 2016, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

A memorial service, celebration of life and luncheon will be held on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016, at 11 a.m. at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids. Private family inurnment will be at a later date. Jerome had deeded his body to the University Medical Center in Iowa City.

Jerome was born on Nov. 29, 1934, to Irvin and Margaret (Fitzgerald) Ferrie in Cresco, Iowa. He grew up on his parents' farm near Schley, Iowa, and was the youngest of 11 children. He attended New Oregon Township county school and St. Joseph grade school in Cresco. He graduated from Notre Dame High School in Cresco in 1953. He attended Boys State in Fort Dodge. After graduation from high school, he attended the Coyne Electronics School in Chicago, Ill. In October of 1954, Jerome went to work for the Collins Radio Company, later Rockwell Collins, in Cedar Rapids where he worked for 41 years, the last 21 years as a manufacturing supervisor. He was very proud to have worked in quality control on the Apollo Project (moon landing).

He was united in marriage to Doris JoAnn Hartwig on May 17, 1957, at Immaculate Conception Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Jerry was a charter member of St. Pius X Catholic Church. Upon retirement from Rockwell Collins in 1995, Jerry took a great interest in volunteer work in the Cedar Rapids area. The Tanager Place Children's Home always was close to heart and he volunteered there for many years. He also served on the Ambroz Arts Advisory Board, Friends of Noelridge Greenhouse, Hospice of Mercy and, for a number of years, at the Carl and Mary Koehler History Center, traveling throughout Cedar Rapids and Linn County doing oral video interviews of many people. Jerry always felt a need to repay his community for what he had received from it. In 2016, he received an award for volunteering for over 2,000 hours of volunteer service.

Jerry enjoyed traveling, spending time with his family, hunting, fishing, boating and the outdoors in general. One of his greatest pleasures in life came from time spent at the cabin in Ivanhoe, which he and his wife, JoAnn, owned for many years, then lost in the flood of 2008. His positive attitude toward life and love of people endeared him to his family, friends and co-workers.

Jerry is survived by his wife, JoAnn; his stepson, Joseph (Tami) Frazier; sons, Jeffrey (April) Ferrie and John (Samantha) Ferrie; daughter, Jerilyn (Jerry) Scott; nine grandchildren, Lyndsey, Brittany, PFC Jacob, Morgan (Alex), Madeline, Danielle (Hykim), Jamie (Alicia), Zachary (Kelly) and Corey; five great-grandchildren, Makiyla, Brooklyn, Amiya, Carson William and Charles; sisters, Mary Gene Hyke and Agnes Arnberg; sisters-in-law, Doris Ferrie and Darlene Ferrie; brother, Joe (Marie) Ferrie; and his two best friends, Bill Daley and Larry Gouchee.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Sister Mary Denise and Ancetius Friedhoff; and brothers, Leland, Cecil, Ronald, Cletus "Pete" and Arthur.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Jerry's name may be made to Tanager Place in Cedar Rapids or the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy in Hiawatha.

Online condolences may be left at www.cedarmemorial.com under "Obituaries."