Jerry Ehrsam

Jerome (Jerry) Ehrsam passed over on June 5, 2019, after a short illness at Carle Foundation Hospital surrounded by family. He was born the second son to Loretta (Roedel) and Robert Ehrsam on September 18, 1936, in Arcola, Illinois. His mother remarried when Jerry was young and Sylvester Partlow raised him and his siblings with their mother.

Jerry is survived by his loving wife of 33 years, Martha (nee Bright). He was a beloved dad and stepdad to Angela (Pete) Henderson, Dale Ehrsam, Dean Harrington, and Cinda (Greg) Bauman, and an attentive grandad to four grandchildren, Brittany, Derek, Sedona and Jackson. He is also survived by a brother Jack (Phyllis) Ehrsam and sister Rita Partlow.

Besides his parents, he is preceded in death by a sister Cathy (Chuck) Lehman.

Jerry graduated from Arcola High School in 1955 and enlisted in the armed forces, eventually stationed in Juno, Alaska, Greenland, and Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, Illinois. One of his proudest accomplishments during his service was his participation as fuel crew to the first non-stop around the world flight of three B-52 bombers in 1957. He served until 1963.

He married Dianne Myers of Arcola in 1963 and they had two children together. They divorced in 1982.  He joined the Champaign Police Department in 1963 and served 23 years before retiring as a proud patrolman in 1986. The north Champaign neighborhoods he patrolled were filled with residents who knew, respected and trusted him. He was proud to be one of a group of police officers who banded together to support Olympic Ice Skater Bonnie Blair during her early years in the Champaign area training for the Olympics during the 1980's.

Jerry was strong as a bear and gentle as a kitten. He taught us to be kind to strangers and to help those who cannot help themselves. He taught us to pull ourselves up knowing that he would always be our soft place to fall when we struggled. Without judgement, he guided and advised with quiet wisdom... and that look. He brought humor and grace to our lives and will be remembered always as our hero.

Visitation services will begin at 10:00 am on Monday, June 10, 2019, at Blair-Owens Funeral Home, 102 E. Dunbar St., Mahomet, Illinois. The funeral service will follow at 11 am at the funeral home. Interment will be at Shiloh Cemetery, Mahomet.
 

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