Jerome Wiltse

Jerome "Jerry" Wiltse, Jr. age 71, of Blue Earth, passed away with all his family by his side on Sunday, January 16, 2011, at St. Luke''s Lutheran Care Center.Funeral mass will be held on Thursday, January 20, 2011, at 11:30 AM, at SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Blue Earth, with Father Leo Koppala officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Blue Earth. Visitation time will be from 10:00 AM until service time at the church on Thursday. Patton Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Blue Earth is assisting the family with the arrangements. Web tributes may be left at www.pattonfh.comJerry was born January 28, 1939, in Blue Earth, the son of Jerome A. and Mabel (Carroll) Wiltse. He was raised and educated in Blue Earth where he was a 1957 graduate of Blue Earth High School. Following high school he joined the U.S. Army Reserves and also worked construction in North Dakota. He returned to Blue Earth and worked with his father at Wiltse Excavating. He was married to Judy A. Conklin on January 14, 1961 at SS Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Blue Earth. Jerry did excavating work for several years and eventually started his own business in 1986; Jerry''s Sand and Gravel Hauling. He operated the business until his retirement in 1999. Jerry loved being outdoors whether camping, hunting or taking long nature walks. He was a lifetime member of SS Peter & Paul Catholic Church where he served as an usher. He also enjoyed many family vacations, his favorite being beautiful Cross Lake, MN.Jerry is survived by his wife, Judy Wiltse of Blue Earth, his daughter, Jody (Tim) Covalt of Rochester, his son, Cory (fiancee Lisette) Wiltse of Algona, Iowa, his son, Greg (special friend Kathy) Wiltse of Titonka, Iowa, his daughter, Colette (Joe) Breiter of Blue Earth, his son, Chad (Mandi) Wiltse of Blue Earth, his daughter, Molly (Bryan) Halvorson of Blue Earth, his brothers: Danny (Sue) Wiltse of Blue Earth, Dave (Jenny) Wiltse of Blue Earth, Scott (Vicky) Wiltse of Blue Earth, his sister, Pat Walker of Algona, Iowa, 12 grandchildren: Jason, Ryan, Ashley, Morgan, Zachery, Chelsea, Samuel, Sierra, Mariah, Allen, Dylan & Jared, and mother-in-law, Rose Conklin.He was preceded in death by his parents, infant son-Chris Paul Wiltse, sister, Colleen Wiltse a brother, Craig Wiltse and father-in-law, Lewis Conklin.