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JEROLD JAMES ADAMS

Jerold James Adams was born July 22, 1956 to Harold Wayne and Anna Marie (Flagg) Adams in Tyndall, SD. Jerold passed away peacefully, at the age of 64, on January 8, 2021 at Mercy hospital in Des Moines from complications of COVID.
Jerold was welcomed home by four older sisters, Donna, Charlotte, Sharon and Linda along with older brothers, Darrell, Harold and Gerold. He was later joined by younger brother, Carroll, and little sister, Phyllis.
Jerold and his siblings were all raised on the Adams family farm three miles west of Kellerton. Jerold graduated from Grand Valley High School in 1975. After graduation, Jerold began working as a hired hand for neighbor, Myron Ingram. Jerold was joined in marriage to Sue Lawson in 1975 and from this union he became a father to Tosha Sue. Shortly after Tosha’s birth, Jerold joined his father and older brothers and formed the Adams Family Partnership.
On September 25, 1982 Jerold was united into marriage with Deanna Drake in Kellerton. Jerold and Deanna, along with Tosha, started their life together on a family farm eight miles southwest of Kellerton. They welcomed two more children to the family daughter, Brandi Lynn, and son, Mitchell James.
Jerold continued to farm his entire adult life raising cattle, starting a cow/calf operation in 2002. He put up hay for himself as well as doing a lot of custom bailing. He worked in the maintenance department at the Mount Ayr Health Care Center before becoming a welder at Miracle Recreation until the plant closed. Jerold than began his career at Iowa Select Farms where he worked for the past 16 years. In his “free time” Jerold built custom fence all over the county, cut and cleared hedge rows, sold fence posts and cut and sold firewood.
Jerold remained a member of the SIPR (Southern Iowa Parks and Recreation) and Kellerton Community Center. He enjoyed gardening, attending auctions and flea markets, the Iowa State Fair and searching pawn shops for bargains and coin banks to add to his collection. Another favorite activity was camping locally or extended camping trips with family and friends. He was always up for joining in on games, group cookouts and a few beers with good conversation sitting around a campfire. Jerold always looked forward to the annual family outing to Adventureland. He truly loved that time with his immediate family and enjoyed seeing them having fun and just being together. Jerold rarely missed a Taco Tuesday night at the Kellerton bar where he loved the food and friendly conversation but was always up for a good challenge on the pool table.
Jerold had a profound gift for kindness and generosity. He loved to help others whether it took five minutes or a month it didn’t matter Jerold was always there to lend a helping hand.
Jerold was preceded in death by his parents; parent-in-laws, Paul and Mickey Drake; sisters, Donna Adams and Linda Howard.
Survivors include his wife of 36 years, Deanna, of Kellerton daughters, Tosha Brooks (Dan) of Indianola and Brandi Johnson of Grand River; son, Mitchell Adams (Jamee) of Kellerton; grandchildren, Keely Bradley and Brayden Brooks (Anna) of Indianola, Dustin King (Hannah) of Conrad, Kelsey King of Mount Ayr, Ashten Adams of Kellerton, Daymeyn, Emmy and Finn Smith of Grand River, Autumn Buckingham (Jon) of Altoona, Colton Boyce (Kristen) of Mount Ayr, Chloe and Bud Boyce of Kellerton; three great-grandsons, James Boyce and twins, Dominic and Daniel King; brothers, Darrell (Brenda) Adams of Kellerton, Harold (Mary) Adams of Ankeny, Gerold (Barb) Adams of Kellerton, Carroll (Brenda) Adams of Kellerton; sisters, Charlotte Jennings of Ellston, Sharon Pitts of Des Moines and Phyllis (Jeff) Werden of Kellerton; aunts, Wanda Adams of Kellerton and Gerrie Adams of Des Moines; sister-in-law, Debbie (Gaylen) Swanson of Coin; brothers-in-law, Homer Howard of Dows and Deric (Misty) Drake of Mount Ayr along with a host of cousins, nieces, nephews and friends. Armstrong Funeral Home in Mount Ayr is in charge of the arrangements.
Services will be at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, January 15, 2021 at the First Christian Church in Mount Ayr, IA.
Officiating will be Pastor Darin Dolecheck.
Special selections will be “Daddy’s Hands” and “So God Made a Farmer”.
Casketbearers will be Ryan Thompson, Dave Pearce, Billy Burkheimer, Eric Shiel, David Rainey and Mike Higday.
Honorary casketbearers will be Keely Bradley, Autumn Buckingham, Brayden Brooks, Colton Boyce, Ashten Adams, Chloe Boyce, Daymeyn Smith, Bud Boyce, Emmy Smith, Kelsey King, Dustin King, Finn Smith, James Boyce, Dominic King and Daniel King.
Burial is at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Mount Ayr, IA.
Memorial fund to the Kellerton Community Building.

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