Jerry Dudley

Jerry Dudley, age 79, Watertown, died in the Avera McKennan Hospital at Sioux Falls early Easter Sunday morning, April 16, 2017 after a long illness.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 20, 2017 from 5-7PM at the Furness Funeral Home Chapel in Clark and will continue on Friday, from 11AM until service time in the Chapel.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, April 21, 2017 at 1PM in the Furness Funeral Home Chapel at Clark.  Pastor Mark Tracy will deliver the message with Greg Furness presiding the services. Honorary casketbearers will be his grandchildren; CaSandra (Ben), Casey (Ashley), Dalton, Jacob (Whitney), Wyatt, Garrett, Joshua and Emma.   Burial will be private at a later date.

He was born Jerry Ray Dudley on October 15, 1937 to Charles Wesley and Viola Blanche (Davis) Dudley. The family moved to Raymond when he was young where he attended school graduating in 1956. During high school Jerry played basketball for the Raymond Redwings, lettering three times, and receiving a medal for scoring 33 of 45 points in a game. He worked for Wegman Oil Company at Raymond at a young age where he hauled propane, pumped gas, helped install furnaces, and other things.

He met and later married Gail Holmes on Easter Sunday, April 2, 1961. To this union, 4 children were born, Jerry, Jr., Sandra, Leslie, and Dawn.

The couple moved to Clark where he worked for Pederson Chevrolet, Audus Motors, Olson Ford, and Brekke Chevrolet, all as a mechanic. He was known in the area as the best carburetor man in the State of South Dakota, coming from all areas to get work done. While in Clark he was also a member of the Jaycees.

In 1974 Jerry went to North Dakota State School of Science where he graduated with a 4.0 in parts management, driving home on weekends to be with his family. The family moved to Madison where he worked at the International dealership and a John Deere dealership. While in Madison he was a member of the Elks Lodge.

While living in Madison, Jerry started riding motorcycles with friends and spent every year going to the rally in Sturgis. After working in Madison for 8 years, the family moved to Watertown in 1981. He enrolled in Ag Banking at LAVTI, graduating also with a 4.0. Jerry was hired by Norwest Bank in Watertown, later transferred to Sioux Falls, but didn't like the "big city", so returned to Watertown.

Later Jerry went to work for Motel 6 as a manager, traveling five states, getting to see lots of country while working. He returned to Watertown and then was employed by the Watertown Housing Authority as a maintenance director for several years. After retiring from there, he worked for Country Inn & Suites, receiving several hospitality awards. Many of you will remember Jerry's love of visiting, always with a smile. Besides of his love of visiting, having coffee in Watertown and Raymond, working, cars, motorcycles, camping were also favorites, but stealing his heart were his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Preceding him in death were his parents, a daughter, Sandra, a sister, Nona Meier, a sister-in-law, Mary Dudley and several step siblings.

Grateful for having shared in his life is his wife Gail of Watertown, a son, Jerry, Jr of Raymore, MO, daughters, Leslie Determan, and Dawn (Corrie) Tribitt all of Sioux Falls, 8 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren- Ayren, Ayda, Adelyne, Carsyn, Hunter, Jayden, Mia, Brock, and Boden and siblings, Loren "Bud" (Gennel) Dudley, Dean Dudley all of Des Moines, IA and Joan (Erwin) Meier of Doland.

Funeral arrangements are with the Furness Funeral Home at Clark where there is an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com