Jerome Pietzsch
Jerome Wayne Pietzsch, 88, passed away March 26, 2024.
Services were held March 29 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Hamilton with Pastor Aaron Kalbas officiating. Internment was at Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery at Pottsville.
Jerome was born May 1, 1935, in Hamilton to Gustave and Emma Eilers Pietzsch. He was the youngest of seven children growing up on his family farm raising numerous livestock. He was baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Pottsville, where he attended school for seven years then transitioned to Pottsville School where he graduated in May 1953. He joined St. John Lutheran Church in 1970, where he held an active role in the church serving as an Elder.
He joined the Army in 1957. He went through basic training at Fort Chaffe in Arkansas and continued training at Fort Sill in Oklahoma. He was honorably discharged May 31, 1963. He went to work for the Soil Conservation Service in 1962. He retired from the Soil Conservation Service on April 1, 1994, after 32 years of service. Throughout his life he called Pottsville home, where he farmed the family land and custom farmed in his time off from the SCS until his 80th birthday when he retired from custom farming.
In 1971, he married the “love of his life,” Alice Ann Ash in Cranfills Gap. They had three daughters, Patricia Ann, Deborah Gail and Rebecca Valencia, and one son, Gary Wayne, together.
They built a new home in Pottsville on his grandparents, the Eilers, farm that they purchased from the family. The four children were raised on the farm in a Christian home.
Jerome’s passion in life was serving the Lord, his family, and farming/ ranching. Although he was a quiet man, his hard work ethic and honesty was noticed by many.
He is survived by his wife, Alice; daughters Patricia and husband Lynn Diepenbrock of Davis, Oklahoma, Deborah and husband Brad Benne of Round Rock and Becky and husband Chris of Hamilton; son Wayne and wife Renee of Georgetown; nine grandchildren, Tiffany and husband Jeremy Mitchell, Ethan Benne, Braden Andrews, Cody Diepenbrock, M’kayla Benne, Christy and husband Jordan Rickets, Camden Andrews and fiance Dylan Childress, Breely Pietzsch and Taryn Pietzsch; and one great-grandson, Sutton Rickets.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Gustave and Emma Pietzsch; five brothers, Gene Pietzsch, Raymond Pietzsch, Milton Pietzsch, Leonard Pietzsch and Wilbert Pietzsch; and a sister, Mildred Pietzsch Wagner.
Pallbearers were Ethan Benne, Braden Andrews, Cody Diepenbrock, Greg Eilers, Jordan Rickets, Dylan Childress and Jeremy Mitchell.
Honorary pallbearers were Robert Wagner, Paul Wagner, Tim Pietzsch, Tom Pietzsch, Leonard Pietzsch Jr. and Mark Pietzsch.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. John Lutheran Church in Hamilton.
