Moyna, Gerald R. 'Jerry' 1937-2011

MOYNA, BENDER, KRAMER, MCCORMICK, ALDERSON, BOOTS, BINK, IVORY, MCCLIMON, LANGELUND, PETSINGER, SENFELD, BAAS, KOEHN, WOOD, DILLON, STEWART

Posted By: Judy Moyna (email)
Date: 10/21/2011 at 21:14:05

Gerald Ray (Jerry) Moyna, 74, died Wednesday, October 12, 2011, at Mercy Medical Center, Dubuque, Iowa, from complications of Parkinson’s Disease, Myelofibrosis, and open heart by-pass surgery.

Jerry was born August 7, 1937, in Elkader, Iowa, to Cecil Joseph and Katherine Marie (Kramer) Moyna. He was baptized at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church August 22, 1937, by Monsignor James P. Taken. His baptism sponsors were Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Ivory. He was confirmed there on May 9, 1948.

He graduated St. Joseph High School in 1956 where he played guard on the basketball teams who won the diocesan tournaments in 1955 and 1956, played baseball, sang in the choir, had numerous roles in high school plays, and served as an altar boy for many years achieving the rank of Grand Knight of the Altar.

While in high school he worked with his father in the construction business and at the Neuhring & Sadewasser Mobil Gas Station, as did his brothers Jack and Mike.

He is survived by his wife Judy; two sons, Stephen (Ann McClimon) Moyna, Altoona, and James (Audrey Langelund) Moyna, Mundelein, Illinois; four grandchildren, Connor and Claire Moyna, Altoona, Tyler (Jill Petsinger) Moyna, and Megan Moyna, Eagan, Minnesota.

Jerry is also survived by his mother Katherine Moyna McCormick of Elkader; two brothers, John Arthur (Erika Senfeld) Moyna of Elkader and Michael Edward (Kathleen Baas) Moyna of Sunrise, Florida; brother-in-law Milford “Muff” Koehn of Elkader; sisters-in-law, Lois (Jan) Wood, Georgetown, Texas, and Kathy (Tim) Dillon of Elkader; his aunt Mary Evelyn Moyna Stewart of Elkader and many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Jerry was preceded in death by his father Cecil J. Moyna; his daughter Kathleen Ann in 1962; his sister Patricia Moyna Koehn; his uncles Edward Moyna and James Stewart; step-father William McCormick; his paternal grandparents John Michael and Elsie Alderson Moyna and his maternal grandparents Arthur Leo and Effie Boots Kramer and his in-laws Alfred and Marinette Oelke Bink.

On May 31, 1958, he was united in marriage with Judy Bender at St. Joseph Church.

On August 2, 1960, he was inducted in the United States Army serving as a Specialist Fourth Class with the 17th Artillery in Schwaebisch Gmuend, West Germany until July 5, 1962.

Jerry was a self-employed contractor working with his father and older brother in the firm C. J. Moyna & Sons from 1953-2006. He spent some time in 1956 and 1957 working with the Federal Bureau of Reclamation on the Trinity River Dam project in northern California. He retired from the family firm in 2006.

He was an active member of St. Joseph’s Church, Knights of Columbus, Associated General Contractors of Iowa, International Watch Fob Collectors, Canadian Watch Fob Collectors, Midwest Watch Fob Collectors, the Historical Construction Equipment Association, and the Elkader Country Club (Knights of the Round Table Chapter). His hobbies included collecting models of construction toys and watch fobs, traveling, pursing his love of history, and reading.

Jerry was originally a reluctant genealogist when his wife talked him into accompanying her on visits to cemeteries far and wide. As the Moyna family history evolved, they were soon also visiting aunts, uncles, and cousins from Iowa to Ireland. Their research led them to visit the County Monaghan Moyna Homestead in Ireland three times where Jerry’s gift of gab served him well.

He was a loving husband, father and grandfather. He especially enjoyed having his grandson Connor spend the last two summers with him while working in the family business.

Fortunately, Jerry was able to come home to Elkader for a week to “be with his own” people before he had to re-enter the hospital. He loved Elkader and all his family and friends wherever they were.