Jerry Dean Deardorff

May 15, 1942 - July 11, 2020

Jerry Dean Deardorff, 78, of Lexington, MO, passed away peacefully at 3:30am on July 11, 2020 in Lafayette Regional Health Center. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., Tuesday, July 14, 2020 at the First Baptist Church in Lexington, MO. A funeral service will follow at 11a.m. at the church. Burial will be in the Odessa Cemetery in Odessa, MO. Memorials are suggested to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Memories of Jerry and condolences for his family may be left at www.LedfordFamilyFH.com or on our Facebook Page. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Walker-Nadler-Fuller Funeral Home, 1720 South St., Lexington, MO, 64067 660-259-2245 Jerry was born May 15, 1942 to Cletis and Gladys (Halcomb) Deardorff in Butler. He married Jennie Grace Matthews of Odessa on August 13, 1966. She survives. Jerry was a graduate of Butler High School and worked for Sprint for 43 years, retiring in 2001. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Lexington. Jerry served in many roles at FBC, including Sunday School director, chairman of deacons, rest-stop ministry, and board of directors. He was also a member of Rotary, the Butler Lodge, Mid-MO Tractor Club, and Boy Scouts. Jerry loved Jesus, his family, the farm, old tractors, and the lake. In fact, Jerry was probably best known to Julie’s and Justin’s friends for giving the wildest tube rides in the Ozarks. If someone wasn’t thrown off and didn’t nearly have a concussion, it wasn’t a good ride! In addition to his wife, Jennie, survivors include his daughter Julie (Kevin) Ross of Quincy, IL and his son Justin Deardorff of Blue Springs; grandsons Logan Ross, Parker Deardorff, and Pierce Deardorff; and a sister, Peggy Baker. Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, his in-laws GD and Nita Jane Matthews, and a brother-in-law Dale Baker.