Jerry Edward Cisar, 89, of Shueyville, Iowa, passed away on January 18, 2020, at The Bridges at Ankeny senior living facility. An informal memorial service will be held at Shueyville United Methodist Church on January 23 at 11 a.m. Burial will be at a later date.
Jerry was born in Dante, South Dakota, on May 20, 1930, to Katherine (Konecny) and Thomas Cisar. Jerry lived most of his life in the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, area where he graduated from St. Wenceslaus High School in 1948 and began his working career as a machinist at Cherry-Burrell shortly after. He married Yvonne Frederick, of Nampa, Idaho, on July 28, 1958, and they built a home in Shueyville, Iowa, where they raised five children.
Jerry worked hard all his life to ensure his family was well taken care of. Even on a shoestring budget, he found ways to take family vacations every summer and over the Christmas holidays. The whole family would pile into the wood-paneled station wagon as they drove through the night to arrive a couple of days later in Texas, Florida, or Idaho (to name a few) to visit family and make stops along the way at national parks, campgrounds, and historical or natural sites. Many fond memories and family legends were made during these trips. Jerry loved to travel, and this enthusiasm was passed on to all his children.
He enjoyed fishing and teaching his children and grandchildren how to bait a hook with a worm, catch and release the small ones, and keep the big ones for a fish fry. The family owned a variety of campers over the years and spent many nights (in campgrounds all across the country) in front of campfires roasting hot dogs or making foil packet hamburgers, toasting marshmallows, and making brown bears (cinnamon-sugar toast).
Jerry was a reserved man but would be more than happy to sit and chat with you one-on-one about politics, sports (Iowa Hawkeye football in particular), cars, and jazz music. He always encouraged his children to be whatever they wanted to be in life and instilled in them the importance of a good education. All five of his kids participated in sports, music, and/or theater and he attended almost every single event or activity, wherever it may have been held. Jerry may not have been very good at verbalizing his love, but it was always clear how proud he was of his children’s accomplishments.
After Jerry retired from Cherry-Burrell, he and Yvonne bought a tandem bicycle and rode it all over the extensive Iowa bike trail system. They later purchased a small condo in Cape Canaveral where they became snowbirds, leaving the cold Iowa winters for the warmer climates of Florida from November through April/May. They rode their tandem bike on the beach, spent time watching the ocean waves and boats coming in and out at Jetty Park, and enjoyed time with family who came to visit over the holidays.
Left to cherish Jerry’s memory is his loving wife of 61 years, Yvonne; children, Cindy (John de Banzie) Cisar, Anna (Marty) O’Shea, Nancy (Eric) Nelson, Kathy (Phil Waltz) Cisar, and Paul (Roberta) Cisar; siblings Walter (Peggy) Cisar, Albina Dvorak, and Angela Saldana; 7 grandchildren; and 3 great-grandchildren. Jerry is preceded in death by his parents.
The family is grateful for the outpouring of love and support from friends and family during these sad times.
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