Jerry Bland Herttenberger

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, January 8, 2022 at 12:00 Noon at Westgate Church of Christ 402 S Pioneer Dr. Abilene, TX 79605. Interment will follow in Elmwood Memorial Park. Visitation will be held on Friday evening from 5-7:00 PM at Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home 5701 Hwy. 277 S. in Abilene.

He was born on January 12, 1926 in Old Glory, Texas to Beno and Ola (Archer) Herttenberger. He graduated from Old Glory High School in 1944, attended North Texas Teachers College before enlisting in the Army Air Corps in November 1945. Jerry was an aircrewman in the Pacific and flew in both B-17 and B-29 bombers. In July 1946, Jerry and his crewmates were forced to bailout of their B-29 when it caught fire. Two hundred miles from Guam, they spent 24 hours in a lifeboat before being rescued by a Navy destroyer.

After his discharge in December 1946, Jerry enrolled at A&M College of Texas studying civil engineering. He graduated in 1950 and went to work for Central Texas Iron Works in Abilene. There he met Lila Mae Calfee. They married in August 1955. Jerry adopted Lila’s daughter, Daphna, then in 1957 twin girls were born. In 1984, Jerry went into business for himself. Over the years he designed many projects. Of note were the A&M Women’s softball grandstand and the Citadel’s football grandstand.

Jerry loved God, his family, and Texas A&M. He was a faithful member of Westgate Church of Christ for over 50 years, serving as an elder for many of those years. He was a longtime Fighting Texas Aggie football season ticket holder.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Lila, brothers Roy, Jean, Malcolm, and Don, and daughters Daphna Keith and Martha Wurtz. He is survived by daughter Mary Davis and husband Danny; one sister Helen Simmons; grandchildren: Lisa Ogden and husband Randy, Jeff Keith, Doug Keith and wife Grace, David Wurtz and wife Stephanie, Michael Wurtz, and Stuart Davis and wife Dana; great grandchildren: Cassidy, Taylor, Austin, Katie, Kauri, Lillian, Zachary, Henrietta, Evangeline, and Gabriel ; great great grandchildren: Luke and Colt and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be given to Westgate Church of Christ or West Texas Rehab Center.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.elliott-hamil.com for the Herttenbergr family.