Jerry Lewis Walters

Jerry Lewis Walters passed away Tuesday, February 19, 2019, after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

Jerry was born on October 20, 1939, at home in Egin, Idaho. He was the first of two sons and one daughter born to Ida Marie Powell Walters and William Albert Walters. He attended grade school in St. Anthony, Idaho, and graduated from Idaho Falls High School. Jerry served two years in the US Army where he was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. He married DeLillian Pack, and had they one daughter, Shaney Dee Walters Swanson. They later divorced.

Jerry worked delivering candy to vending machines around Idaho Falls. He then went to work for Ideal Hardware in their shipping and receiving. He worked at Ideal the longest, but finally retired from Office Max.

He loved cars, jigsaw puzzles, reading, and fast speedboats. When he was younger he could usually be found waterskiing behind his favorite boat. Jerry also spent many hours fly fishing and hunting until his health began to decline. He was always up for a game of cards; he used to play pinochle late into the night with some of his good friends. However, in his later years, Jerry made every able-bodied person in the family learn to play Hearts. We ALL played Hearts - a lot!

Kids seemed to gravitate to Jerry, and he spent a lot of time with them. He was always kind, patient and accepting. He was happy in his role as “Grandpa Jerry” and loved to play games for hours on end. His other favorite activity was taking his grandkids out to eat.

Jerry's greatest ability, however, was making people laugh. He just made everything fun! He had the most infectious giggle, and once he started, you just had to join in.

He was preceded in death by his father, William Walters who died in 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium, his mother, Ida Lambert, his brother Donald Albert Walters, his step-father, Vern Lambert, his nephew, Travis Ward, and his son-in-law, Kent Swanson.

He is survived by his daughter Shaney, her two children, Keegan and Saybree, his sister, Brenda Kay Walters Ward, and niece, Heather Grende. Jerry is also survived by his "honorary children” ; Brennan Reed, Carissa Reed Jensen, and Chelsey Reed Searle. Even their children knew him as Grandpa Jerry.

The family would like to thank Aspen Home Health & Hospice and Good Samaritan Society, Idaho Falls Village, for their kindness and loving care.

The family will receive friends both Sunday evening, February 24, 2019, from 6:00 to 7:30 at Eckersell Funeral Home in Rigby, Idaho, and Monday morning, February 25, 2019, from 9:30 to 10:30, at Eckersell Funeral Home, 101 W. Main Street, Rigby. Graveside service, military rites, and burial will take place at 11:00 a.m. at Fielding Memorial Cemetery in Idaho Falls, Idaho.