Memorial Service
Schertz Funeral Home-
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2217 FM 3009
Schertz, TX 78154
1932
Jerry
2019
Jerry Lovelady
January 20, 1932 — November 8, 2019
Jerry Lee Lovelady passed away November 8, 2019. Funeral services will be held at 4 pm Monday, November 18 at the Schertz Funeral Home with reception to immediately follow at VFW Post 8315 in Schertz, Texas.
Private interment will be at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio at a later date.
The son of O. T. “Tracy” Lovelady and Mary Elizabeth Kelly Lovelady, Jerry was born January 20, 1932, in Slaton, TX. He was the third son in a family of five boys and two girls. Jerry was only 13 months older than brother Jim, his constant companion growing up. In the small west Texas town of Slaton one woman remembered them as twins.
It was a hard-scrabble life in Slaton during the Great Depression. Jerry remembered meal after meal of beans and cornbread. But with a father who worked as a car inspector for the Santa Fe Railroad, life wasn’t easy but it was survivable if everyone did their part.
Jerry often recalled how he and brother Jim met the incoming trains packed with World War II soldiers at the Slaton depot. With Jerry peddling and Jim sitting on the handlebars, they sold ice cream for 5 cents a cup to hungry young men.
Jerry was a 1950 graduate of Slaton public schools and was named “Best All Around Boy” for his class. With a tall, wiry build, he excelled at boxing. According to all reports (which were authored by him,) he never lost a fight, often finishing fights Jim started, (again his own report).
In the midst of the Korean War, Jerry and 5 friends from Slaton enlisted with patriotic pride in US Marine Corp. following graduation, ready to fight the advance of Communism. He took pride that in less than 2 years he advanced to the rank of Staff Sargent, making him a “slick sleeved SOB” in the NCO club.
After his three-year tour of duty, Jerry returned to Slaton and married the pretty, young homemaking teacher Patricia Brewer in 1954 and began managing the local Piggly Wiggly grocery. But Jerry’s true love was selling. His career in sales included office equipment, life insurance and eventually industrial chemicals. His favorite sales position was National Sales Director over the United States and Canada for Malter International.
Jerry prided himself on being paid by commission. “People ask me if it worries me not knowing how much I’m going to make, to which I reply ‘Doesn’t it bother you to know you’re not going to make any more than your salary?’”
Ultimately, Jerry formed his own industrial chemical distribution firm and enjoyed traveling south Texas, calling on cities, counties and school districts, making friends wherever he went. An old-school salesman, he had a repertoire of thousands of jokes on any topic, many of which included reference to his king-sized ears. His greatest compliment was to have a customer tell him he’d made their day brighter by sharing a joke, whether they bought anything or not.
After living in Lubbock and Amarillo, Jerry made his way to Schertz. He thought he’d found paradise, leaving behind the wind cold weather and snow of the Panhandle.
In 1976, he married Angela Allison and later joyfully adopted her son Phillip. Together the three built a happy life. In addition to selling chemicals, Jerry and Angie enjoyed operating a concession stand for the Schertz municipal swimming pool. At the end of the day Jerry loved to take the pennies from the cash register and toss them into the pool for kids to retrieve and keep.
He enjoyed nothing more than a good domino game, particularly “moon,” played for high stakes - “dime a game, dime a hickey” - with his father and his brothers. According to his reports, he almost never, make that never , lost a domino game. Like all the Loveladys, he loved babies and insisted on removing their socks to count their toes and exam their fat feet.
Asked recently, he indicated he knew Jesus and was confident where he’d be spending eternity. His family looks forward to being greeted with his smile and the latest joke making the rounds in Heaven.
Jerry was predeceased by his parents, brothers William Presley “Boots,” John Scott, James Robert and Mike Kelly and sister Susan Margaret Lovelady Wilson. He is survived by sister Mary Jane Lovelady Robinson, and children Samuel Lovelady, Marilee Thomas, Jan Blair and Phillip Lovelady.
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