25° and Clear
Jerry F. Harris left us to join our Heavenly Father on Dec. 26, 2024. He was born Oct. 7, 1938, in Oskaloosa, KS to Charlene and Russell Harris and was one of three siblings living on farms in Leavenworth and Jefferson Counties south of McLouth. In 1956, Jerry graduated from McLouth Rural High School and began working the oil fields until 1961 when he was drafted into the United States Army. He served two tours (Germany & Vietnam) being wounded twice and received two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star.
While in Germany, Jerry wed Theresia Duetsch and together they began raising Hermann, Raymond, and Juergen along with the birth of two more sons Michael and Mark. Theresia also came with three other children Winfried, Robert, and Maria making up their large family of ten.
In 1981, Jerry retired from the Army and went back to the oil fields in Utah and Wyoming where he met and married Marie Glaub giving him two more stepchildren, Maryann and Ed, making him a father of ten children total. They settled in Tularosa, NM where he worked Civil Service at White Sands Missile Range (1987-1992) and then created his Trucking Co., “Harris & Son’s”, in 1993 until retiring it in 2020.
In 1999, Jerry and Jeanette (Roe) Walden were married and began their life together--lived, loved, and laughed in Tularosa until he passed.
Jerry was a strong working man, soldier, roughneck, trucker, and business owner. Not to mention a lover of the American West, The Chiefs, Royals, and Jayhawks. But the most importance was his pride and joy, all of his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
Jerry is survived by his wife of 25 years, Jeanette Harris, NM; his sister, Ann (John) Humble, OK; sons, Mark (Kimberley) Harris, WY, Hermann (Patti) Harris, WA, Raymond (Liz) Harris, WA, Juergen (Susan) Duetsch, WA, Winfried and Robert Duetsch (Germany); stepdaughter, Maryann (Shaun) Hannigan, NM; grandchildren, David and Shawn, Brian, Dana, and Kevin, Kylen, Kiah, Kaleb, and Karl, Ariel and Jarren, Jennifer, Yuma, Layla, and Amy; great grandchildren, Elijah H., JJ, Owen, Preston, Weston, Sawyer, and Renzo, Dax, Indiana, and Kiara, Brayden, Cileecia, and Elijah D.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Charlene and Russ; his sister, Erma Jean; his son, Mike; stepdaughter, Maria; stepson, Ed; great grandson, Trystan.
Our loving Husband, Father, Sibling, Grandfather, Friend will be missed and forever hold a special place in our hearts.
The Funeral Service for Jerry will be held at 10:00 am, Thursday, January 9, 2025, at Alamogordo Funeral Home, 2301 First St., Alamogordo, NM.
Burial will follow at 11:30 am with Military Honors at Fairview Cemetery, 1515 N Fairview Rd., Tularosa, NM with a reception to follow.
Memorials may be sent in care of Alamogordo Funeral Home. Condolences and signing of the online register book is available at www.alamogordofuneralhome.org.
The Harris family has entrusted their loved one to the care of Alamogordo Funeral Home to direct the funeral services.
