Jerry Eugene Gartner was born on December 1, 1941, to Louis Phillip and Lillian Loraine (Robinson) Gartner in Oswego, Kansas. As a young boy, he grew up and attended school in Altamont.
While attending Labette County Community High School, Jerry was a runner. He was the first and only member of LC’s fledgling cross-country team, was a four-year starter on LC’s track team, set the school’s track record for the fastest mile that remained unbroken for 10 years, and competed in the 1960 Kansas High School Indoor Track Competition.
Upon graduating from LCCHS in 1960, Jerry attended Kansas State Teachers College of Pittsburg, now Pittsburg State University. He ran the mile as a member of the Gorilla Track Team.
For a short time, Jerry lived and worked as a machinist in Kansas City, Missouri. After returning to Altamont, he worked for the Altamont CO-OP and served in the Parsons Army Reserve Unit. He was a journeyman lineman for Twin Valley Rural Electric for 15 years and for Westar Energy for 20 years until his retirement in 2000.
Jerry was a member of the Altamont Christian Church and the First Christian Church of Parsons. When his sons were young and interested in playing baseball, Jerry was a “sometimes” coach and a dedicated fan. He and two other coach fathers from Edna and Mound Valley worked together to form the Boys Little League Basketball Program. Jerry set up for games and coached at least one, sometimes two teams during a season to keep the program going during its first 10 years. Girls teams were later added as the league grew and players and parents are still enjoying the little league basketball games.
As a young man, Jerry was kept busy by the happenings of a small town wanting to grow. Jerry told the story of how he and his friend, Jerry Peterson, helped Ernie Spencer lay the first paved street in Altamont. As the story goes, Ernie, who was the city utility guy, drove a tar truck along the street spreading a layer of tar. Then he hooked a trailer loaded with gravel to a tractor and the two Jerry’s shoveled gravel form the trailer to cover the tar. Primitive, but paved nonetheless.
Jerry’s greatest love was his family. He enjoyed watching them grow into the special person each one has become.
On December 17, 1965, Jerry and Joan J. Pruett were united in marriage at Central Avenue Christian Church in Parsons. Joan survives of the home.
Survivors include:
His wife – Joan Gartner, of the home
Three sons – Rob Gartner and his wife, Jenny, of Altamont, Kansas
Chad Gartner and his wife, Kim, of Altamont, Kansas
Cory Gartner and his wife, Chris, of Carthage, Missouri
Six grandchildren – Gage and Chelsey Gartner of Webb City, Missouri
Tyler Gartner of Kansas City, Kansas
Regan and Colton Adamson of Joplin, Missouri
Madison Gartner of Emporia, Kansas
Erica Gartner of Bemidji, Minnesota
Ryan Gartner of Altamont, Kansas
One great-grandson – Weston Adamson of Joplin, Missouri
One sister – Jody and Bill Sramek and their children of Peculiar, Missouri
One sister-in-law – Joy Baze and her sons, of Gravois Mills, Missouri
One brother-in-law – David Pruett and his son and daughter, of Austin, Texas
The funeral service will be at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, August 18, 2020, at the First Christian Church of Parsons. The funeral service can be viewed live on the Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home Facebook page. For all events, social distancing guidelines will be followed, including the requirement of face masks. There will be a private family burial at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery following the funeral service. Friends may call at the Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons from 1 – 8:00 p.m., Monday, August 17.
Memorials are suggested to Altamont Recreation Commission for new signage at Idle Hour Lake in Altamont. These may be left at or mailed to Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, KS 67357.
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