Jerry Lee Schmudlach, 86
Jerry Lee Schmudlach, age 86 of Fredericksburg, died Sunday, July 21, 2024, at his home after a courageous 13-year battle with leukemia, lung cancer and stomach cancer.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 24, 2024, at Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory in New Hampton.
Burial will be held in Alcock Cemetery, Frederika.
Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 23, 2024, at Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory in New Hampton. Visitation continues an hour prior to the service at the funeral home on Wednesday.
Memorials may be directed to Cedar Valley Hospice or Alcock Cemetery, PO Box, Frederika, IA 50631.
Jerry was born Oct. 20, 1937, at St. Joseph’s Hospital in New Hampton, the son of Henry and Henrietta (“Jettie” Immerman) Schmudlach.
He was baptized on Dec. 5, 1937, and confirmed on Sept. 24, 1950, at Peace Evangelical Church, Fredericksburg.
He attended country school and often rode his pony there. On May 19, 1955, Jerry graduated from Fredericksburg High School.
Following graduation, Jerry enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was stationed at Camp Pendleton in San Diego, California, during peacetime. Jerry was honorably discharged in 1958, returning home to Iowa where he worked for Hewitt Brothers Lime Quarries, then to Farmer’s Butter & AMPI Dairy, slinging 80 pound cans of milk from farmers coolers to the milk truck. Later, Jerry drove tanker for Beatrice Cheese until his retirement.
Jerry’s favorite sport was baseball, playing second base. He continued to play baseball with the town teams and the Old Timer’s on Dairy Day. Throughout his life, there were family trips to many major league stadiums. A few of Jerry’s most fond memories were attending the 1965 World Series watching the Dodgers beat the Twins and watching his brother Donald pitch in the minor leagues.
At a New Year’s Eve party in Fredericksburg in 1960, Jerry met Betty Ann Burmaster. Jerry and Betty were united in marriage later that year on Aug. 28. To this union, four children — Derek Dean, Kerwin Kraig, Wade Lee and Alissa Leeann — were born.
Farming was always his life. First with his boys helping him, and later in life, Dad helping his boys. Jerry’s first tractor was a Farmall Super C with a two-row cultivator and planter, which he used on 80 acres. This Farmall Super C is still used today attached to a buzz saw. Jerry’s “retirement job” was cutting trees and making firewood for many customers until his passing.
In Jerry’s early years, he enjoyed competing in local farm pulls with his 1030 & 1270 Case tractors. He also enjoyed attending chuckwagon races, hunting deer and gathering with friends at farm auctions. Most recently, Jerry enjoyed going to Wrightz Sale Yard in Floyd with Kerwin to scout for the best deal on used equipment.
Jerry and Betty enjoyed dancing the night away at the Riviera Ballroom in Janesville. They traveled coast to coast riding Amtrak, cruising through the Panama Canal and vacationing in Hawaii and Alaska with family, but the best memories were made attending grandchildren’s events, seeing the youngest grandchild graduate from high school this past May.
Farming was always his life … his hobby garden included a sweetcorn patch that lasted for several weeks each summer, due to his strategic planting dates and a well-placed electric fence.
Jerry is survived by his wife of 64 years, Betty (Burmaster) Schmudlach of Fredericksburg; son, Kerwin Schmudlach of Fredericksburg; son, Wade and Donna Schmudlach of Tripoli; daughter, Alissa and Brad Bixby of New Berlin, Illinois; grandson, Stone Schmudlach of Tripoli; granddaughter Jetti Schmudlach of Tripoli; grandsons, Casey Bixby and Lucas Bixby of New Berlin, Illinois; granddaughters, Malena Bixby of Kansas City, Missouri, and Kenna Bixby of Marshall, Minnesota; brother, Roger Schmudlach of Fredericksburg; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother Donald Schmudlach, and a son, Derek Schmudlach.
