Jerry H. Defoor

Jerry Howard DeFoor, 65, of rural Olsburg, Kansas, passed away Tuesday, April 10, 2012 at his home due to a farming equipment accident. Jerry was born January 26, 1947, in Muskogee, Oklahoma, the son of Charlie Howard and Jeraldine Mae (Hammack) DeFoor. He grew up and attended schools in Muskogee, graduating from Muskogee Central High School in 1965. After high school Jerry attended Oklahoma State University, where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. After graduating in 1968 he attended dental school in Lincoln, Nebraska, earning his DDS in 1972. After school Jerry joined the United States Navy. During the Navy he worked as a Dentist and after the Navy he was offered a dental job in Fairbanks, Alaska with the Teamsters Union. Jerry later moved to Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula and opened his own dental practice, working until his retirement in 1996. On July 27, 1990, Jerry married Virginia “Ginny” (Shaver) Holtmann in Kenai, Alaska, she survives of the home. After his retirement he and Ginny moved to the Olsburg area. Jerry was an outdoorsman. He loved big game hunting, fishing and commercial fishing. After moving to Kansas he enjoyed deer hunting and turkey hunting as well. Jerry also loved spending time with his family, friends and his dog Albert. Jerry is also survived by two stepchildren: Holly Patterson and husband Dan, of Norman, Oklahoma and Scott Holtmann and wife Jennifer, of Morristown, Tenneessee; four step-grandchildren; one half-sister: Sandy Laster and husband Tom, of Muskogee and several aunts and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents. Cremation has taken place. A celebration of Jerry’s life will be held at 3:00 p.m. Monday, April 16, 2012 at the Stewart Funeral Home of Wamego. Memorials are suggested to the Jerry DeFoor Memorial Fund, to be designated later and may be left in care of the Stewart Funeral Home of Wamego, KS, PO Box 48, 66547.