Jerry Raymond Reagle was born in Abilene, Kansas on December 10, 1939, and passed away January 16, 2022 at his home near Alton, MO.
He was the descendant of Peter and Susann Ott Reagle, both born in MT Bethel Area Pennsylvania, and Andrew and Andrea Andersen Sorensen, both of Denmark County, Europe. They met on ships traveling with their parents to America. They married 12-22-1896 in Kearney, NE, and had 8 children, their daughter, Jerry’s mother Clara, met and married Raymond Reagle, Jerry’s dad, they had three children, Jerry was their second child.
Due to a stuttering problem, he was enrolled in performing arts, in 1951, accepted as the youngest student in the Midwestern music and summer camps. He attended every summer from 1951 to 1954. Jerry had perfected absolute pitch and timing skills. He played marimba, then later the drums in high school. Jerry played in jazz clubs in Denver, CO and joined a Country group circuit traveling, ending up in Indianapolis, IN, where he met his second wife of 53 years. He soon quit music to work as Speedway Indiana water treatment operator.
He retired from Denver Water after 20 years and moved to Alton, MO on a small farm with his wife and their adopted children. Jerry and his wife celebrated 36 years of sobriety.
Survivors include his wife of 53 years Alice Jane Doyle Reagle, son Robert Reagle, daughter Kelly Ford, sister Helen Reagle Grothe, her son Roger Fansler, brother Albert Reagle and wife Ginny, cousins Linda Butler Gooder and husband Delbert, Barbara Butler, Lewis Pinn, and Jerry and Alice’s friend Allen Hughes, first wife Mary Jo Cooper Reagle Samuel, daughters Lanae and Dayna Reagle, with many more Reagle and Sorensen family surviving and many more deceased.
