Jerry Lee McColery, age 86, of Watkinsville, GA, passed peacefully on Friday, February 11, 2022. Jerry was born in Beatrice, Nebraska, and was preceded in death by his mother and stepfather, Cleo Prather Lemon and Percy Lemon of Beatrice; his father and stepmother, Ernest and Margene Reed McColery of Beatrice; and brother Bill (Barbara) of El Cerrito, CA; He graduated in 1953 from Beatrice High School. Throughout his youth he participated in sports both in school and at the YMCA, excelling in high school football. Following graduation he attended Fairbury Junior College where he played one season of junior college football.
Jerry was self-taught in mathematics and land surveying and had a lengthy career as a licensed land surveyor and civil engineer. He worked 16 years as an engineer's aid for the U.S. Soil Conservation Service in Beatrice and Hebron, NE, and 2 years for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers near Albia, IA, as a civil engineer on the construction of the Rathbun Dam, a 2-mile reservoir dam on the Chariton River, creating the largest lake in Iowa. He did civil engineering work for Green Construction Company on the building of a stretch of Interstate Highway 80 near Williamsport, PA; construction of an Alcoa aluminum manufacturing plant near Owensboro, KY; and on the creation of a major interstate highway intersection at Morgantown, WV. In 1972, he finally settled his family in Athens, GA, and became manager of a land surveying company in Madison, assistant construction superintendent on the Robert G. Stephens, Jr. Federal Building in Athens, owner of a land surveying company in Monroe, and worked for many years on the construction of the Richard B. Russell Reservoir Dam on the Savannah River near Elberton. Prior to his retirement at age 72, he worked as director of surveying for Armentrout, Matheny, and Thurmond Engineers in Athens.
Jerry and Arlene spent several years on ballroom dance floors until they discovered the love of Argentine Tango. They also spent many hours on Jerry's red Yamaha Royal Star motorcycle. He was a lifetime member of the Athens Elks Lodge and a charter member of Alps Road Presbyterian Church.
Jerry is survived by his second wife, Arlene (Graham) Peters McColery and stepsons Glenn Peters (Jean), Seneca, SC, and Scott Peters (Jody), Steinhatchee, FL; his first wife Betty Dunn McColery and their 5 children Gary McColery and Janet Kilpatrick (Michael), Athens; Julie Morris, Paragould, AR; Anne Bennett, Athens; and Patrick McColery, Decatur, GA; grandchildren Taylor Bennett and Zoey Smith, Athens; Joshua Morris (Katie), Jonesboro, AR; Levi Morris, Paragould, AR; great-grandson Kade Morris, Jonesboro, AR; and nephews Mark McColery, Benicia, CA, and Michael McColery, El Cerrito, CA. Jerry is also survived by Arlene's grandchildren and great-grandchildren who have lovingly called him "Papa Jerry" for 22 years.
A memorial service will be held at Alps Road Presbyterian Church on Sunday, February 20, at 2 p.m.
Memorials may be made to Alps Road Presbyterian Church, 380 Alps Rd., Athens, GA 30606 or Elks Aidmore, 2394 Morrison Rd., SW, Conyers, GA 30094.
Bernstein Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
