Gerald Joseph Pleus

Gerald Joseph "Jerry" Pleus, 78, of Jefferson City, Missouri, passed away Friday evening, November 16, 2012, at Capitol Region Medical Center, in Jefferson City. Jerry was born on February 14, 1934, on the family farm in Taos, Missouri, which has been in the Pleus family since 1880. He was the son of the late Joseph Henry and Josephine (Rackers) Pleus. Jerry attended St. Francis Xavier Catholic School, the one room Liberty School House in Taos, and graduated from Westphalia High School in 1952. He was a 1959 graduate of Lincoln University where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. He volunteered to serve with the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict on May 13, 1953. After completing sixteen months of active duty in Korea and one month in Japan, Jerry served 35 years in the Active U.S. Army Reserve, Air Force Reserve and the Missouri Army National Guard. He retired from the Missouri Army National Guard in July, 1990, with more than 37 years of total military service. He retired in 1994 from the Division of Employment Security as a Research Analyst after 27 years of service and 35 years of total employment with the State of Missouri having also worked for the Public Service Commission and the Department of Revenue. He also worked for a brief time at the National Cash Register company while attending college. He was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1003 and the American Legion. He was also a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles in Jefferson City and the Disabled American Veterans. Jerry was a devoted father, loved Cardinal baseball, gardening and spending time with his family. He was also very interested in family genealogy and his German heritage. Survivors include his loving companion Barbara (Gilman) Drinkard of Jefferson City; two daughters, Laurie A. Pleus (fiancÈ Larry Mertens) and Lisa M. Pleus of Jefferson City; three brothers, Bernie Pleus of Jefferson City, David Pleus of Taos and Leon Pleus of Taos; two sisters, Millie Bernskoetter of Jefferson City and Mary Lee Roberts of Taos; and 27 nieces and nephews. He was married on August 8, 1959, to Carol Schell who lives in Jefferson City. He was preceded in death by one sister, Elizabeth (Betty) Rackers on July 3, 2008, his mother Josephine on January 19, 2005, and his father Joseph on January 15, 1977. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m., Wednesday, November 21, 2012, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Burial with military honors will be in Resurrection Cemetery. Visitation will be 4:30-7 p.m., Tuesday, November 20th, at Dulle-Trimble Funeral Home with a prayer service at 4 p.m. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the American Heart Association, or Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Those wishing to email tributes or condolences to the family may do so at the www.dulletrimble.com website.