Gerald Adkerson

Gerald D. Atkerson died early in the morning on Thursday, December 26, 2019. He was 81 years old.

Gerald, also known as Jerry, was born in Hutchinson on April 13, 1938, to Berl and Margaret (Beeson) Atkerson, who divorced shortly after his birth. Due to illness at 2 years of age, he was unable to move with his mother and step-father to California and through unfortunate circumstances he was raised by his grandparents, Roy and Algie Beeson and three young aunts still living at home.

Jerry attended school in Hutchinson. While in high school, he played the saxophone in the band and graduated with the Class of 1957. Jerry began working at one of Dillon’s Food Stores as a carryout when he was 13. He also worked at Three Sisters clothing store where he had to wear a suit, tie, dress shoes and was not to leave the building without a dress hat.

Jerry met Alberta Cottle in 1959, and they were engaged just ten days before his grandmother died. He then moved to Wellington where Alberta lived. He worked at the Furniture Factory a short while and then at IGA where he was over the Dairy Department. Jerry and Alberta were married on September 4, 1960. It was only a couple of months when Uncle Sam wanted to draft Jerry. He enlisted in the US Army with the understanding that he would serve three years and not serve in the National Guard. After a 12-week training at two bases, he was sent to Korea where he served for 14 months and was then stationed at Fort Sill, Okla. until his release in December of 1963.

Moving back to Wellington, he worked at Montgomery Wards in the Tire Department and then Boeing Aircraft, where he retired in 1996.  During those years, he and his wife remodeled their house to fit their growing family. Two years of home repairs after retirement caused boredom to set in and he bought a 1964 Dodge Convertible which he and his son repaired and painted red. He also went to work for USD 353 as a custodian, completing the last 6 years as a custodian of Washington Grade School and retiring again in 2009. While working for the school, he purchased a 1947 two-door Chevy to rebuild. It never made it to that state. Working on either his convertible or the Chevy, gardening and family filled his days.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, three aunts that helped raise him, his sister Joan Sangster, and a half brother Dick Cogzill.

Survivors include his wife, Alberta of Wellington; brother, Eugene Atkerson of Delhi, CA; half-brother, Don Cogzill of Modesto, CA; half-sister, Wanda West of North Little Rock, AR; daughter, Cindy Smith and her husband Terry of Wichita; daughter, Sondra Short and her husband Robert of Wellington; son, Mark Atkerson and his wife Karra of Wellington, grandchildren: Sheree Smith of Wichita, Christine Short of Wellington, Stephanie Short of Wellington, Erica Short of Kansas City, Brent, Mikey and Zack Atkerson of Wellington and a great-granddaughter, Savannah Saunders of Wellington.

Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 1 to 7 p.m., Sunday, December 29, 2019, with the family present from 5 to 7 p.m.

Funeral services for Gerald will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, December 30, 2019 at the First Christian Church in Wellington. Interment with Military Honors will follow at Prairie Lawn Cemetery, Wellington.

A memorial has been established in his name and loving memory with the First Christian Church. Contributions can be mailed or left with the funeral home.

To share a memory or to leave condolences, please visit www.cornejodayfuneralhome.com

Arrangements by Cornejo | Day Funeral Home & Crematory, Wellington.