Jerry Tooley

Jerry Glen Tooley, 82, of rural Paola, Kansas died unexpectedly on June 10, 2019. Jerry was born on April 25, 1937 in Salisbury, Missouri to George William and Nannie Lucille (Scott) Tooley. The family moved when Jerry was young to a farm outside of Hillsdale. He graduated from Louisburg High School in 1955. He married Mary Margaret McClintock on September 2, 1956. They lived in the Miami County area before buying their farm southeast of Paola in 1960. Jerry worked as a boilermaker and pipefitter on several power plants prior to starting to work for the J. C. Nichols Company as a welder. He worked there doing their wrought iron work for almost 30 years making a 90 mile round trip daily. He was especially proud of the wrought iron work he completed in the Country Club Plaza. Jerry retired when he was 62, and continued work on the farm. Jerry was a parent volunteer for the Osage Pioneers 4-H Club helping his children get their projects ready to exhibit at the Miami County Fair. He also enjoyed coaching his children in softball and baseball. Jerry was Chairman of the Administrative Board, and Trustee of the Fontana United Methodist Church. He and Mary were members of the Frontier Twirlers Square Dance and Round Dance Clubs. They enjoyed traveling to dances around the area. Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, his brother James W. Tooley, his sister Zora Ann Flack, and his daughter Terri Lee Guenther. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Mary of the home; his son Jerry S. “Steve” Tooley (Maggie) of Bellevue, Nebraska: and his daughter Janet E. Green (Bret) of Lee’s Summit, Missouri. He is also survived by nine grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to Parker Elementary School or Tri-Ko, Inc. Visitation is 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., Friday June 14, 2019; funeral service is 10:30 a. m. Saturday, June 15, 2019 at Dengel & Son Mortuary, 305 N. Pearl St., Paola, Kansas. Burial is in Fontana Cemetery. To share your memories of Jerry or leave a special condolence message for his family, please click on the Share a Memory box.