Jerome Joseph Vonnahme

1947 - 2023

Jerome Joseph Vonnahme slipped into eternity on Jan. 8, 2023, while sleeping in the arms of Beth, his friend and wife of 35 years.

Jerry started life in 1947, as the eldest son on a German family farm in Iowa. He learned to work hard loading 70-pound hay bales and driving tractor. He attended 12 years of Catholic school, had an excellent mind and was very mechanically inclined. He was a National Merit Scholarship finalist and received scholarships to Iowa State University. He was a diligent student and worked for the phone company "Ma Bell" in the summer.

Sometime after his sophomore year he became intrigued with the Peace Corps and was assigned to Colombia, South America. There he became fluent in Spanish, helped with agricultural research and made lifelong friends. He also climbed the highest mountain in Colombia, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, at over 18,000 feet.

Jerry returned to Iowa State University but his heart was no longer interested in school. He met Mary and together they moved to California and married. Jerry became a journeyman electrician and joined the IBEW union. Nathan was born shortly thereafter in Sacramento. Work and travel led the family into living in a fifth-wheel trailer, following construction work in many states in the west. Joel joined the family in the middle of the adventure while they were in California. As employment opportunities became more limited, Jerry explored work in Alaska. Long separations from family, combined with alcoholism, led to divorce. The family remained in Fairbanks where Jerry found sobriety through God and the community of AA.

A few years later he met the love of his life, Beth, whom he married in 1988 in front of their underground "hobbit" house on Deniki Way. Beth was impressed by Jerry's deep love for his sons and Alaska adventure. They blended their families to include Beth's son Ryan for a total of three boys. This was often difficult, but after encountering Jesus in the early '90s through the Totem Park Church family, they began to live with different priorities and hopes for their lives. This was the beginning of an ongoing transformation which continued for three decades.

After working on the North Slope and short term local jobs, Jerry became the building foreman at the Fairbanks International Airport where he would remain for 23 years until his retirement in 2011. He loved that job as it was interesting and challenging, especially the construction of the new terminal.

After the kids left home, Jerry and Beth embarked on high adventure in Valdez. Their trusty fishing boat, the Pelican, was a place of laughter and learning for their grandkids for several years. They spent many happy nights in little coves and harbors throughout Prince William Sound. Jerry fished and hunted all over Alaska, but he was especially smug about the few times he shot moose in his front yard with a bow. Beth taught Jerry to snow ski and he took it up with zeal, volunteering with Ski Patrol for 15 years, which made winters fly by. Jerry loved playing guitar and shared his talent on the worship team at church and in ministry at the Fairbanks Correctional Center.

Jerry's last years were the bravest of all. After receiving a diagnosis of Alzheimer's, then Parkinson's and finally Lewy body dementia, Beth and Jerry walked out the remaining years together, learning to love each other more than ever before. At times it wasn't pretty or easy - but God, their family, and a slew of faithful friends saw them to the finish line.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Bertha Vonnahme, and his sister, Mary Jo Tierney.

He is survived by his wife, Beth; sons, Nathan (Betsy) Vonnahme of Fairbanks, Alaska, and Joel of Kaneohe, Hawaii, and bonus son, Ryan Nolen, of Ocala, Florida; grandchildren, Beren, Lilliana, Cirdan and Silmaril Vonnahme; brother, Mark (Michael) Vonnahme; nephews, Fritz and Maxwell Vonnahme; nieces, Magdalena (Joaquin) Chavez and Jennifer (Sean) Kervin; and brother-in-law, Jim Tierney. Jerry is also survived his first wife, Mary Vonnahme.

A memorial service is planned for 4 p.m. June 3, 2023, at Journey Christian Church, 1201 Hoselton Road, Fairbanks.