Jerry L. Jennings, 74

Jerry L. Jennings, 74, died Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012, in Lewiston. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 1, at St. Catherine's Catholic Church in Kamiah.

Jerry was born, third of four boys, July 29, 1938, in Hamilton, Mont., to Dale and Eathel Jennings. Dale and Eathel homesteaded in the foothills of the Bitterroot Valley at Charlos Heights in the early 1930s, raising their boys to love hunting and fishing.

Jerry graduated from Darby High School in 1956, and then moved to Anaconda, Mont., in 1957 to work at the smelter, where he met and married Kathleen (Bonnie) Menahan, in 1958. They then returned to the family homestead, where they built a home and where all five of their children were born. After a fire destroyed their home, Jerry and Bonnie moved the family to the Clearwater Valley in Idaho, where they spent many of their remaining years raising their kids and working.

Jerry loved cars and country music, playing his guitar and singing for many years, both in his band, The Bootleggers, and at countless community jam sessions. Jerry and Bonnie spent the last 12 years traveling to Arizona every winter, where he continued to play music and entertain friends, new and old.

Jerry is survived by his brother, Dale; his wife, Bonnie; daughter Jerri and husband Gary Colwell; son, Bill Jennings and wife, Ronda; daughter, Vicky and husband, Doug Williams; son, Justin Jennings and wife, Marci; and daughter, Jackie and husband, Kevin Southwick. He is also survived by his 10 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and two brothers, Bobby and Burt.

The guitar rests quietly for the final time. We will miss you, Dad.