Gerald McIlmoyle

1930 - 2021

McIlmoyle, Gerald
Feb 24, 1930 - Mar 24, 2021
Gerald (Jerry) McIlmoyle was the oldest of seven children born to Eugene and Catharine and raised in McCook, NE. He left McCook to enter the Air Force in 1951 and become a pilot. By July 1957, he graduated with honors as a U-2 pilot from the Squadron Officer's School. His work flying reconnaissance flights over hostile lands led to his assignment to fly sorties over Cuba during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis and he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. During the Cold War he flew reconnaissance missions over the USSR, China, and North and South Vietnam. His career gave him three tours at SAC Headquarters and two tours at the Pentagon. During the Cold War, he was frequently the Officer in Charge for the "Looking Glass" that provided nuclear readiness in a command and control center in the sky. His leadership promoted him to the Base and then Wing Commander positions of the missile bases at F. E. Warren and Malmstrom, respectively. He rounded out his career with a final tour at the Pentagon as the Deputy Director of Operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff where he earned the rank of Brigadier General. As he yearned for new horizons, he thought this was a great time to say thanks and sayonara because he had achieved two of his lifelong dreams: to be a pilot and to become a general in the Air Force. His final day of active duty was July 1, 1981.
He spent a second career as one of his real estate company's most successful real estate agents, helping young people buy their first homes when the country had double digit inflation and home loan rates. And a third career as the office manager for a cardiac rehab medical clinic. He retired with his first wife, Patty, in Venice. Patty died in 2013. Jerry was predeceased by his brothers and sisters: Jackie, Marien, Patty, Jim, and Berenice. He is survived by his youngest brother, Charles. Jerry and Patty's oldest child, Mary Catharine, died at birth, but he is survived by his four other children: Patrick (wife Robin); Ruth (husband Mark); Maureen and Erin; his seven grandchildren: Rebecca (husband Ricky), Dan, Katie (husband Jason), Brian, Kendra, Diana (husband Zach) and Samantha (husband Jim); and his three great-grandchildren: Sofia (11), Enrique (6) and Isaac (1). In August of 2014, Jerry married Joan at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Venice. They spent almost seven loving years together. Joan's children, Leanne (husband Steve) and Guy D. (wife Olga) grew to know Jerry as a treasured member of their family. Joan's grandchildren, Vincent and Alexis, called him "Papa".