Jerry Russell Heflin, of Excelsior Springs, Mo., passed away on Tuesday, September 12, 2017. Jerry was born June 13, 1938, in Barnsdall, Okla., to Robert and Gladys (Chapman) Heflin, who predeceased him.
Jerry is survived by Lilly (Smith) Heflin, his wife of 55 years, of Excelsior Springs, Mo., as well as two sons, Roger Heflin and his wife Sara, and Richard Heflin and his wife Kathryn, as well as their two children, Brandon and Emily. He was also preceded in death by a daughter, Susan Elizabeth. Additionally, he is survived by two brothers and five sisters, Jim Heflin, Jack Heflin, Betty Milleson, Barbara Baldridge, Bess Duston, Sharon Olsen, and Wanda Sue Bayer. He was preceded in death by a sister, Joanne Isham.
Jerry grew up in Pawhuska, Okla.,, graduating from Pawhuska High School in 1956. He attended the University of Oklahoma for one year before returning to Pawhuska, where he started working at J.C. Penney Department Store in 1957. He met Lilly Smith in the early 1960s and they were married on April 14, 1962. Jerry transferred to the Ponca City, Okla., J. C. Penney Store in the mid1960s. He became a store manager for J. C. Penney at their store in Holdenville, Okla., in 1969. Jerry and Lilly lived in several different places over their lives, including Bristow, Okla., Marysville, Kans., and Arkansas City, Kans., before moving to Excelsior Springs, in 2006.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, September 16, 2017 at the Fairview Christian Church, 1800 NE 65th St., Gladstone, Mo. 64118. The Rev. Kassie Smith McKee will be officiating.
