Gerald Jay Howerter

Gerald Jay Howerter, known to family and friends as Jerry, was born on May 22, 1937, on the family farm southwest of Lodgepole, Nebraska, to Donald and Matilda Howerter. He passed away at Pathways Hospice in Fort Collins, Colorado, on March 10, 2026, at the age of 88.

Jerry’s early years were marked by his family’s moves across the country, living in Denver, Cozad, Torrington, and briefly in Los Angeles, before returning to settle on the Nebraska farm in 1948. He assisted his father with farm work, graduated from Lodgepole High School in 1955, and later earned an engineering degree from the University of Nebraska in 1961. His professional life began at the National Reactor Testing Station near Idaho Falls, Idaho. In 1963 he married and became the father of three daughters, Caryl, Wendy, and Kimberly. The family moved to Denver in 1967, where Jerry built a long career as a sales engineer, serving industrial accounts across Colorado and surrounding states for more than thirty years. His work allowed him to travel extensively, and by 2007 he had visited all 48 contiguous states as well as Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, and Canada.

After retiring in 2005 from his final position in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Jerry returned to the family home in Lodgepole. He took quiet pleasure in traveling by rail across the country, taking two memorable cruises to Alaska and Hawaii, and enjoying fishing, boating, gardening, woodworking, and time spent with family. He remained closely connected to his community, where the meals from the Chappell Senior Center brought him comfort and nourishment in his later months.

Jerry is survived by his daughters Caryl and husband Jeff Fank of Parsons, Kansas, Wendy and husband Rich Tucciarone of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and Kimberly Howerter of Kyle, Texas; his sister Donna and husband Jim Haugland of Sutherland, Nebraska; five grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Donald and Matilda, and his sister Vicki.