C.E. "Jerry" Jirovsky 1921 - 2003

JIROVSKY, KONECKY, MUELLER

Posted By: Connie J Swearingen-Volunteer (email)
Date: 1/5/2015 at 19:16:50

Sioux City Journal
4 June 2003

BLENCOE, Iowa -- C.E. "Jerry" Jirovsky, 81, of Blencoe died Monday, June 2, 2003, at a Omaha hospital.

Memorial services will be 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Blencoe, with the Rev. Harry D. McAlpine officiating. Private family graveside services will be in Onawa Cemetery, Onawa, Iowa. Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, with a Scripture prayer service at 7:30 p.m., at Rush Family Care Service in Onawa.

Jerry was born Sept. 10, 1921, in Wahoo, Neb., the son of Cyril and Mary (Konecky) Jirovsky. He graduated from Blencoe High School in 1939 and was selected to Boys State. He attended the University of Iowa and the University of Omaha. Later, he served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

He married Arlene V. Mueller on Feb. 19, 1944, and the couple made their home in Blencoe. Arlene passed away July 23, 2001, in Onawa.

He started farming with his father and continued farming for nearly 60 years until his recent retirement. He also owned and operated a successful real estate company, Western Realty Inc., located in Onawa.

He took great pride in his farming and over the years was recognized numerous times as a top producer in various yield competitions in the state of Iowa. In 1998, he had the highest yield for commercial popcorn that Monona County has ever had.

He was a member of St. Bernard Catholic Church. He served on several boards, including the board of directors for the Iowa Soybean Association, Country Villa and Monona County Mutual Insurance Company, where he served on the board for 35 years, with 18 years as president. When his children were young, he and his family were selected as the farm family of the week for WOW-TV. He was one of the original founding members of Burgess Memorial Hospital and served on the board for almost 40 years. He was a charter member of the Onawa Country Club. He held several registered U.S. patents on farm equipment.

Survivors include three daughters, Constance and her husband, Gary Ostedt, of Tucson, Ariz., Theresa and her husband, Willem VanEs, of New York City and Victoria DeWitt of San Rafael, Calif.; two grandchildren, William Ostedt and Devon Yates; a great-grandson, Zachary Ostedt; a great-granddaughter soon to be born, Alexandria Ostedt; a sister and her husband, Helen and Ernest Petersen; and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to his wife, he was also preceded in death by his parents; and two brothers, Stanley and Joseph.