Gerald James Jefferies, age 93, died peacefully in his sleep January the 5th, 2024. Gerald James Jefferies was born in St Louis, Missouri on March 6th, 1930 to James Jefferies Zefferatos and Georgia Bavellis and graduated with honors from the Missouri Military Academy in 1949. He then went on to join the United States Army with the 101st Airborne Division in Germany and the United States to serve our country. While stationed in Germany, Gerald met Eleanor Zwirner Sheleg and married her both by proxy in the United States, in Germany and then again when he brought Eleanor and her family, Vera Zwirner, George Zwirner, Valentina Thomas and Adolf Alex Zwirner to the United States. His wife Eleanor was born in Belarus, Minsk Russia, the Ukraine. They were married to each other for 50 years.
Their wedding date was July 11th,1953. After an Honorable Discharge with the United States Army, Major Jefferies was a police officer with the Kansas City Kansas police department for 36 years under every capacity within the department. He was also in charge of the old jail at City Hall and then went on to become a Major with the Wyandotte County Sheriff's Department under Sheriff Bill Dillon, supervising adult detention within the new jail. Gerald and Eleanor went on to own several businesses in the Kansas City, Kansas area including; J&S welding, International hair designs and Mr J's deli and other businesses.
Eleanor passed away in 2003. Major Jefferies is survived by his son Richard James Jefferies of Lawrence Kansas, Tamara Diane Jefferies of Kansas City Kansas, 4 grandchildren, Heather Welch, Wichita, Nicole Tomacelli, Germany, Samantha Tomacelli of Tonganoxie, Kansas and Logan Dean Jefferies. Nine great-grandchildren; Addison Shepherd, Braiden Shepherd, Audrianna Shepherd, Dalton Welch, Laurisa Tomacelli, Ryland Tiberi, Mila Tiberi, Matea Lambert and Vera Lambert. Major Jefferies will be laid to rest at Chapel Hill Memorial Cemetery next to his wife, Eleanor.
A visitation for Gerald will be held Monday, March 25, 2024 from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm at Chapel Hill-Butler Funeral Home, 701 North 94th Street, Kansas City, Kansas 66112, followed by a VFW Memorial services at 1:00 pm.
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