McEnaney, Gerald "Jerry" 1936 - 2020
MCENANEY, SCHISSEL, CUMMINGS, HUINKER, KUENNEN, LAURES, MCDEVITT, CORBETT, KERIAN, KREUGER, RIHA
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 8/14/2020 at 20:10:14
U.S. Veteran
Gerald (Jerry) McEnaney, age 84 of Decorah, IA passed away on Friday, July 10, 2020 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, MN.
Services are pending due to current coronavirus restrictions.
Gerald was born February 5, 1936 in Waucoma, Fayette County, IA to Roy and Alma (Schissel) McEnaney. He attended St. Mary’s Catholic School and Waucoma High School. He entered the US Army and served most of his time in Okinawa. He was honorably discharged at Oakland, CA. After the Army he attended St. Thomas College, St. Paul, MN and then returned home to work on the family farm in Waucoma, IA. Jerry was a loyal and dedicated member of the Catholic Order of Foresters, Knights of Columbus, American Legion and AmVets.
He met Beverly Jane Cummings from St. Paul MN and they were married in 1959 at the Nativity Catholic Church in Harmony, MN. Together they had four children and farmed for 36 years near Waucoma. Jerry and Bev retired from farming in 1995 and moved off the farm to Decorah, IA. Jerry and Bev traveled extensively in the United States and abroad. They spent the last 26 years wintering in Trophy Gardens, Alamo, TX.
Jerry loved going for drives to small towns around Northeast Iowa, he loved making the short trip from Trophy Gardens, TX to Progresso, Mexico for fun times with his friends and family, he loved having coffee in the morning with his McDonald’s friends, he loved driving his 1954 Ford pickup truck in parades, he loved happy hours no matter what time of the day, he loved to snack on pickled feet, sardines and jaternice, he loved talking about the old days in Waucoma, he loved adventures and was always up for anything, he loved playing cards and antique cars, he loved helping his wife Bev with her photography business, he loved tearing up the dance floor at Trophy Gardens, he loved catching squirrels and giving them a new home in the country, he loved drinking good beers, he loved getting on his hands and knees to play with his grandchildren and great grandchildren even on trampolines and the bouncy house. He loved sharing stories about his life and family history so much he authored a series of books called “Jebel”. He loved reading books and watching Rush Limbaugh and Fox News, he loved going to grandchildren’s sporting events. He loved to wear plaid shirts with 2 pockets, he loved wearing his MAGA hat. He loved talking to people and if he didn’t know you, he would try to figure out if he knew any of your relatives. He loved watching old home movies and taking pictures. He loved making trips to Waucoma to check on the home place and see how the crops are progressing. He loved to dress up as Santa Claus. He loved to go out for food or drinks with his family and friends and always made sure he was the one to pay the bill. He loved to visit people in the nursing home. He had a love for the land and was a true blue farmer. However, the thing Jerry loved the most is his family.
Jerry is survived by his wife of 61 years Beverly (Cummings), four children; Tom (Mary Huinker), Charrn (Jim Kuennen), Julie (Craig Laures) and Jane (Pete McDevitt). Sisters Therese Corbett and Maureen (Jerry Kerian), Sisters-in-Law Marge McEnaney, Wilma Cummings and Shirley (David Kreuger). 10 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.
Preceding him in death were his parents, brother John, sister Mary (Riha), his father-in-law Carlton Cummings, mother-in-law Margaret Cummings, sister-in-law Ruth Ann Cummings, and three brothers-in-law; Bob Cummings, Jim Corbett and Matt Riha.
“To my family and friends who made my life worth living... as good as any human being would want.” - Gerald McEnaney
Gifts or memorials in Gerald’s honor may be sent to Beverly McEnaney 606 East Water Unit #2 Decorah, IA 52101.
Source: Schluter-Balik Funeral Home database
Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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