Jerry Lee Williams

1947 - 2026

Jerry Lee Williams, 78, of Cascade, IA and formerly of Iowa City, IA, passed away on March 22, 2026 at Accura Healthcare in Cascade, surrounded by family.

Friends and relatives may call from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at on Monday, March 30, 2026 at the Reiff Funeral Home in Cascade, Iowa, where a prayer service will be held with Deacon Joe Schockemoehl presiding.  Burial will follow in the Cascade Community Cemetery in Cascade.

Jerry was born on October 19, 1947 in Nora, Nebraska, son of Elmer and Gwendolyn (Montgomery) Williams.  On August 22, 1970, he was united in marriage to Marcelle Christensen at Ruskin Lutheran Church in Ruskin, Nebraska. Jerry graduated from Nelson High school and the University of Nebraska at Kearney and had a very successful career as a purchasing agent for the University of Nebraska and later the University of Iowa until his retirement.  

Jerry was very devoted to his wife and family and lived for the great outdoors. He enjoyed collecting firearms and hunting, having had the opportunity to successfully hunt buffalo, elk, and bear among other animals, and he competed in several shooting events and took great pride in his first place marksmanship awards. He also had a love for historical cowboy shoots, his cowboy boots, fishing, his baby blue 1967 Mustang, gardening, and a good meal.

He is survived by two children; Sonya (Rustin) Miller of Kalona, IA and Blake (Becky) Williams of Dyersville, IA; nine grandchildren, Dallas and Dalton Miller and Isaac, Owen, Evelyn, Anna, Abram, Elias, and Ivan Williams; his forever little sister, Linda (John) Combs of Superior, Nebraska; one brother, Bob (Margo) Williams of Nora, Nebraska; one sister-in-law, Alana (Ken) Stirn of Shawnee, Kansas; and one brother-in-law, Ric (Gail) Garcia of Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Marcelle, on Dec. 3, 2003, his parents, and his father and mother-in-law, Jerome and Angela (Cabrera) Christensen.

The family would like to thank the staff at River Bend Retirement Community for loving him so well for almost a decade, even though he liked to break the rules every now and again; the staff at Accura Healthcare for their attentive care in his final few months, and Deacon Joe Schockemoehl for taking the time to pray with him.