Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs resident Jerry Johner passed away Aug. 21, 2005, in Casper, Wyo. He was 59.

Jerry was born Oct. 16, 1945, in Bismarck, N.D. He was the second of 15 children born to Peter and Helen Johner.

Jerry graduated from high school in Selfridge, N.D., and as a young adult worked in the construction industry and mobile-home transport and set-up. He served in the United States Marine Corps in 1966 and received an honorable medical discharge.

Jerry's second marriage was to Janice (Hale) Cannon on Aug. 9, 1979, in Greeley. Jerry, Janice and their daughter, Jennifer, moved to the Yampa Valley in October 1991.

Jerry worked at the Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School and Camp, Wave Sport, Wal-Mart, True Value, Neste Auto Glass and Hampton Inn.

Jerry loved the Lord, his family, his friends and his neighbors. He was a member of Euzoa Bible Church and previously a member of South Routt Bible Church. He enjoyed snowmobiling, especially on Buffalo Pass and in the Flat Tops, fishing, bowling and traveling with Janice and his family.

With the help of family and friends, he and Janice built their home in Stagecoach in 1994-95. They loved living in the Yampa Valley, which Jerry always referred to as "God's country."

Jerry was preceded in death by his father, Peter Johner; a brother, Kenneth Johner, on March 20, 1967, in Vietnam; and two step-children, Jeff Cannon and Tammy Cannon Campbell.

He is survived by his mother, Helen, of Sheridan, Wyo.; his wife, Janice, and grandson, Josh, of Stagecoach; son, Jeffrey, and his wife, Petra, of Steamboat; daughter, Nicole and her husband, Michael Rollins, of Forest Grove, Ore.; daughter, Jennifer, and her husband, Steve Padilla, of Yampa; son-in-law, Joseph Campbell of Denver; four granddaughters, Kaeli and Ashlee Rollins, Nichole Johner and Savannah Padilla; step-granddaughter, Chareese Padilla; two step-grandsons, Zachary Lujan and Steven Padilla; and 13 siblings, brother, Gene, and his wife, Judy, of Spearfish, S.D., brother, George, and his wife, Jean, of Hanna, Wyo., sister, Marilyn, and her husband, Mike Hood, of Sheridan, Wyo., sister, Jonell, and her husband, Allan Gorrell, of Douglas, Wyo., sister, Kathy, and her husband, Bob Alley, of Dayton, Wyo., brother, Mike, and his friend Pam, of Scotch, N.J., brother, Darryl, and his wife, Wendy, of Torrington, Wyo., sister, Cheri, and her husband, Bob Perrin, of Cheyenne, Wyo., brother, Bryon, and his wife, Debbie, of Morehead City, N.C., brother, Rodney, and his wife, Tanya, of Torrington, Wyo., brother, Randy, and his wife, Nancy, of Milford, Neb., sister, Deanna, and her husband, Jim Breazeale, of Grant, Neb., and brother, Pete, and his wife, Monica, of Sheridan, Wyo.

Jerry was a bold witness for his Lord and savior Jesus Christ. Hebrews 4:16 reads, "Therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that you may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Memorial contributions may be made to the Euzoa Bible Church Missions Fund in care of Euzoa Bible Church or to a college fund for Joshua Sexton at First National Bank of Steamboat Springs.