Gerald "Jerry" Zafft

Gerald “Jerry” Zafft of St. Louis, Missouri, died on October 29, 2026, after a more than 27-year battle with Parkinson’s Disease. He was the beloved husband of Judy (nee Abelson) Zafft; loving father of Jeffrey M. Zafft of Columbia, Missouri; Andrew Steven Zafft (Javier Suazo) of San Francisco, California; and David L. (Marla D.) Zafft of Atlanta, Georgia. He was the loving and adoring grandfather of Nadia R. and Calder B. Zafft of Atlanta, Georgia, and the brother of the late Gene M. (Marlene D.) Zafft, and Herbert T. (Constance) Abelson. Jerry was our dear uncle, great uncle, cousin, colleague, mentor and friend, and he will be greatly missed.

During the 55 years he practiced law in St. Louis, Jerry represented his clients with skill, compassion and integrity, earning their respect and admiration. Through his practice, he developed many longtime relationships, both professional and personal.

Jerry met his future wife and best friend, Judy, on a Washington University-sponsored trip to Europe in 1965 when they sat next to each other on the flight from New York to London. They were married in April 1966. In August1966, Jerry took a sabbatical from his law practice so he could pursue a Master’s degree in tax law from New York University. He had received his undergraduate and law degrees from Washington University in 1957 and 1959, respectively.

During the 60 years they were married, they travelled extensively. Their trip to China was particularly meaningful. Jerry was invited to participate in a conference among the deans of the top 20 law and business schools in China to discuss the establishment of a master of tax law program. He was also invited to give a lecture to the faculty and student body of the Peking University Law School. Above all, Jerry loved spending time and travelling with his family.

Jerry had a close relationship with his brother. He and Gene had lunch weekly, usually at a Chinese restaurant. When they coached little league together, the lunches became planning sessions.

Jerry was Past Master of Benjamin Franklin Lodge No. 642 (now known as St. Louis, Missouri Lodge No. 1) A.F. & A.M. Jerry served on the boards of numerous not-for-profits, such as NAMI; Project, Inc.; Rainbow Village (which honored him with its Humanitarian Award); and Woodhaven Learning Center, where he served on the board and several terms as President.

Jerry was appointed to the Missouri Mental Health Commission in 1985 and was Chairman 1988-89. He was the principal author of the Midwest Special Needs Trust, which has received international acclaim for creating a public/private partnership that makes it possible for families to provide a lifetime of care for their loved ones with a disability while preserving the person’s eligibility for public assistance. In recognition of his many years of service to the developmentally disabled, the Missouri Mental Health Foundation conferred its Lifetime Legacy Award on Jerry in 2010.

The family wishes to recognize St. Croix Hospice, Extended Hands, and Compassionate Care for the loving support they provided.

Services at Congregation B’nai Amoona, 324 S. Mason Road, Sunday, November 1, 2026 at 3 PM. Visitation begins at 2:15 PM and interment immediately follows at Beth Hamedrosh Hagodol Cemetery, 9125 Ladue Road.

In lieu of flowers, contributions to Woodhaven Learning Center, 1405 Hathman Place, Columbia, MO 64202; Miriam Foundation, 1138 North Warson Road, St. Louis, MO 63132; or the Midwest Special Needs Trust, P.O. Box 7629, Columbia, MO 64202.