Jerry Siegrist

Jerry W. Siegrist, 88, of Waukon died Sunday, September 26, 2021 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Memorial services will be held Friday, October 1 at 11 a.m. at Zion United Church of Christ in Waukon with Rev. Cathy Jurgens officiating. Burial of ashes will be at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lansing.

Friends may greet the family from 4-7 p.m. Thursday, September 30 at Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon. Masks are encouraged. The service will also be live streamed on Martin-Grau Funeral Home’s Facebook page. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Veterans Memorial Hospital, Oak Hill Cemetery, Zion United Church of Christ, or to a charity of choice.

Jerry Wayland Siegrist was born May 27, 1933; although his parents were living near Nauvoo, IL, Jerry was born in Fort Madison, IA. His parents were Walter A. and Fleta (Wayland) Siegrist. In 1935, they moved to the family farm near Denmark, IA. Jerry graduated from high school in 1951, and he went on to also graduate from Iowa Wesleyan College, where he was recruited to play baseball.

His college days were interrupted in 1953, when he was drafted into the Army, where he continued to play baseball and worked for the Army Aviation School at Camp Rucker, Alabama. In 1954, Jerry moved to Regimental Headquarters as a clerk typist and served as the acting Sergeant Major during his last six months in service.

After graduating from college, Jerry returned to farm with his father and brother for a few years, and was then hired to become a teacher in Waterville. He earned his master’s degree in 1962, and he became the guidance counselor at Waukon Senior High School that same year. He continued in this career for 30 years and then drove school bus for many years. August 3, 1963, he married Linda B. Fellows at Waterville Lutheran Church, and daughters Jill and Beth were born shortly thereafter.

Jerry was passionate about his career in education and loved working with high school students. He cared about helping each and every one of them find a meaningful career and purpose and impacted countless students’ lives. He was a lifetime member of the National Education Association, the Iowa State Education Association and Iowa School Counselor Association.

Jerry was also very active in the American Legion, providing honor guard duties at veterans’ funerals. He served on the Zion United Church of Christ council and was an active member, volunteering for a mission trip to Montana. He was also on the REC board and enjoyed volunteering with Meals on Wheels locally.

His family meant the world to him. In his early years of being a dad, he was known for being the best storyteller at bedtime, making the greatest Kraft Dinner and beanie weenies, and singing oldies on the drive to church Sunday mornings; he would take off one day a year from work to make apple crisp for his family as well. He also entertained the family with his indescribable camel walk that he was known for.

Later, as a father and grandfather, he drove (and flew) to countless states and countries to visit his children and grandchildren. He supported them in countless activities they were involved in and was their number-one supporter and fan.

Some of his favorite pastimes were being outside doing anything. He enjoyed hunting, searching for the elusive morel mushroom, gardening, and golfing (two holes-in-one at the Waukon Golf and Country Club). Tending to the family farm was a great passion as well, recently working with the Allamakee Soil & Water Conservation District to convert less productive farmland into a wetland area.

He enjoyed playing euchre, coffee at Hardee’s with the boys, and cheering on the Waukon Indians, Iowa Hawkeyes and Chicago Cubs. He was elated to see the Cubs win the World Series in 2016! For the past 20 years, he and Linda were Florida residents, staying at their home in Zephyrhills during the cold Iowa winters.

Jerry’s love of sports continued throughout his life. He was registered with both the Iowa Boys and Girls Athletic Unions as a baseball and softball umpire and as a basketball official. He officiated hundreds of games well into his 50s. When officiating middle school events, he acted not only as a referee, but as a teacher and mentor and wanted the athletes to understand the rules and infractions he was calling. His proudest moment as an official was being selected to umpire a softball game at the Iowa Girls State Softball Tournament in Fort Dodge.

Survivors include his wife, Linda, of Waukon; his daughters, Jill (Mike) Walworth of Hartland, WI and Beth (Bill) Shafer of Waukon; his grandchildren, Bailey Shafer, and Nate and Ben Walworth; his sister, Martha Koehn of Williamsburg; his in-laws: Wanda Siegrist of West Point, Bert (Jan) Fellows of Mesa, AZ and Nancy Larson of Bellevue, WA; and many nieces and nephews.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Lee Siegrist; his brothers-in-law, Harold Koehn and Don Larson; and his niece, Dana Siegrist Pechin.

Honorary urnbearers are Ron and Nancy Brandt, Gary and Karen Bristle, Bud and Marge Strike, Jon Hagen, Ann Rademaker and Nan Grangaard. Jerry’s grandchildren will serve as urnbearers.

Online condolences may be left at www.martinfunerals.com.