Jerry Johannes, 69, of Havensville, Kansas died peacefully at home Thursday, March 27th from Congestive Heart Failure.

Jerry was born April 18, 1944 to Juel and Esther Tollefson-Johannes in Horton, Kansas and grew up on the family farm outside Horton.  After graduating from Horton High School he married Lois Lehman in October 1962. They were married 51-years, had three children and two grandchildren.

Jerry and Lois moved several times over the years, the first time was from Kansas to southern California in the fall of 1964. As a young man Jerry apprenticed in automotive frame and body repair before working for many years as an auto-body repairman.

With his great mechanical and metal fabrication skills, as a hobby he built high performance dune buggies that he and the family took frequent camping trips to Pismo Beach on California's central coast and the Mojave Desert.  He also spent many weekends with oldest son John's Boy Scout troop.  In the 1970s he earned his private pilot's license and would be a life-long aviation enthusiast. He owned his own planes, built a hanger and landing strip on his ranch and was a member of the Flint Hills Flyers club. One of his favorite ways to relax was to take his Cessna up for a short flight.

In 1979 Jerry and his family returned to Kansas where he began farming and ranching in southern Nemaha County. A tireless steward of the land, he worked long hours to improve his pastures and crop land. Like many farmers, Jerry's farm fell on hard times in the 1980s and the family moved back to California where he worked long hours, often six-days a week on commission to pay off the ranch.  Jerry and Lois returned to the Nemaha county ranch in 1987 where they built a successful business as beef stockers. In 1997 he was awarded the first ever Grassland Conservation Award by the Nemaha County Conservation District.

He was an active member of the community of farmers around Havensville and Corning who would help each other during harvests, building projects and working cattle. He served a term as a Trustee of Red Vermillion Township.   A believer in Christ Jesus, he was a member of Havensville Christian Church where he had been an Elder.

In 2009 he suffered a massive heart attack. Given a second chance at life, Jerry retired from farming and he and Lois frequently traveled by motor home through the South.  Jerry especially enjoyed the Florida Keys.  He looked forward to the summers. Independence Day was a favorite of his, with children and grandchildren gathering every year to shoot fireworks, roast hot dogs over a fire and hand crank ice cream.

Jerry is survived by his wife, Lois and three children; John Johannes and wife Ann, of Lawrence, KS, Cindy Neal and husband Mitch of Sharpsburg, GA, and JD Johannes, of Topeka, KS; grandchildren Hannah Neal and Emma Neal; sisters Arlene Forwand and Judy Randolph.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, March 31, 2014 at the Mercer Funeral Home in Holton.  Burial will follow at America City Cemetery.  Family will greet friends from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.  Memorials may be given to the Corning EMS or the Havensville Christian Church Building Fund c/o Mercer Funeral Home, PO Box 270, Holton, KS  66436.