Funeral services for Jerry Eilers will be at 2PM on Thursday, July 9, 2009 at Alcester Baptist Church. Visitation will be Wednesday from 2-8PM at Alcester Baptist Church with the family present from 6-8PM and a prayer service at 7:30PM.

Jerry Eilers was born March 27, 1931 in Geddes, SD to parents Clarence and Gladys (Ogden) Eilers. He died July 5, 2009 in Sioux Falls, SD at the age of 78 years, three months and eight days.

At a young age, Jerry moved to the rural Hawarden area and attended Bultman Country School and graduated from Hawarden High School in 1949. He joined the US Coast Guard in 1951 and was stationed on both the east and west coasts and was honorably discharged in 1954. Jerry married Marjorie Bergdale in 1952 and began farming in the Hawarden-Alcester area in 1954. He served as a Union County Commissioner for 16 years and was currently serving on the Union County Planning and Zoning Committee and the Farm Association Board. He attended Alcester Baptist Church and served as an usher and was recently on the Trustee Board. Jerry was an active member of the Alcester VFW.

Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Marge; four children, Kim (Judy) Eilers of Swisher, IA, Joni (Don) Westblade of Hillsdale, MI, Jane (Craig) Kruse of Lennox, SD and Matt Eilers of Phoenix, AZ; 10 grandchildren and an aunt, LuElla Wilkison of Hawarden, IA.

His parents and two brothers, Eldon Eilers and Dennis Eilers preceded him in death.