Jerry G. McRoberts

Jerry G. McRoberts, 67, of Gurley, Neb., passed away Friday afternoon, Jan. 22, 2010, at the Memorial Health Center in Sidney.

Jerry Galen McRoberts, son of Kenneth and Eulabelle McRoberts, was born Aug. 30, 1942, in Dalton.  Jerry grew up on a farm west of Dalton. While in school, Jerry excelled at football, basketball, and track, as well as music and scholastics. He graduated as valedictorian from Dalton High School in 1960 and then attended Midland Lutheran College, where he especially enjoyed playing on the football team.

Jerry met Barbara McGowan in Omaha and they were married on July 29, 1967 in Omaha.  He graduated from the University of Nebraska-Omaha in 1970 and attended Utah State University in Logan, Utah – earning a Master’s Degree in Animal Ecology in 1972. That year was a particularly memorable year, because his daughter Brooke was born. Later that year, the family moved back to Nebraska and soon decided to start the McRoberts Game Farm with his father, Kenneth, and his brother, Wayne. He had farmed and ranched in the Gurley area for the last 37 years. 

Jerry had an incredible zest for life. His positive attitude led him to pursue his dreams with unequalled persistence and optimism. He was an innovator, an entrepreneur, and he was larger than life. He felt that Western Nebraska was the most perfect place on Earth to live and that raising animals was a wonderful way to make a living. He was incredibly intelligent and pioneered crop techniques that resulted in conservation awards. He raised thousands of exotic animals and birds … including llamas, wallabies, antelope, yak, Bactrian camels, miniature donkeys, white buffalo, Big Horn sheep, Pere David deer, pheasants, and most recently, his beloved white homing pigeons. His longtime tropical and fresh water fish collection, bird watching, and the love of planting trees and native flowers completed his fascination with nature. He was known to have the most beautiful animals of the highest quality. He bred them for perfection. He was constantly looking at the genetics to find the best possible combination for the perfect animal. He had great pride in the family farm, which was homesteaded in 1884 by his great grandfather, Frank X. Rihn.

Jerry was forever an adventurer. He went scuba diving all over the world, sky diving in Cabo, skiing in Colorado, and vacationing in Mexico and Hawaii. He loved nature and never passed a zoo without stopping.

Jerry also loved sports and music. After the age of 50, he competed in Master’s track (to win) and began competing (to win) in the Scottish Highland Games in Estes Park. He sang the role of Frank Butler in “Annie Get Your Gun” in high school and followed that with several community musicals, including Grease and Oklahoma most recently. His participation in those musicals brought him more joy than you can imagine. Jerry loved to listen to Brooke sing – in New York, in Vail, in church, on the CD in his car, or wherever else he had the opportunity.

Jerry lived life with enthusiasm. Whenever you talked with him, even by phone, you could hear the energy and good humor in his voice. Everyone was his friend. Even in the last three months as he battled cancer, he did not loose his optimism and his ability to believe that things would work out.

Survivors include his wife Barbara of Gurley; his daughter Brooke of New York City; his brother Wayne and wife Cathie of Scottsbluff; and his sister Julie and husband Craig Wilson of Loveland, Colo. He is also survived by his nephew, Keenan McRoberts of Ithaca, N.Y.; his niece, Carmen and husband Ryan Anderson of Philadelphia; his nephew, Jarod Wilson of Columbus, Ohio; and his nephew, Brett Wilson of Onamia, Minn.

Other survivors include his exchange student son, Mario and wife Mari Coronado of Lima, Peru, and their daughters, Macarena and Almudena. 

He was preceded in death by his parents.Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 30, at the Leyton Junior High Gymnasium in Gurley with Pastor Leon “Bud” Gillespie officiating.  Cremation will follow the service. 

Visitation will be on Friday from 1 to 7 p.m. at the Holechek Funeral Home in Sidney.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Leyton Athletic and Music Departments, the Gurley Rescue and Fire Department, or to the American Cancer Society.

Family and friends may sign the guest book and leave condolences online at www.holechekfuneralhomes.com.Holechek Funeral Home & Cremations in Sidney is serving the McRoberts family.