Jerry Louis Patejdl

Jerry Louis Patejdl, 83, of Overland Park, Kansas, passed away peacefully on April 29, 2026. Born on January 14, 1943, and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, Jerry lived a life shaped by curiosity, creativity and an abiding love for the natural world. He was a devoted father, a loyal friend and a man who believed deeply in the beauty that surrounds us — whether in a mountain vista, a well-timed joke or a perfectly grilled meal shared with people he loved.

Jerry spent several formative years raising his family in Durango and Golden, Colorado — places that fed his passion for hiking, photography and the great outdoors — before returning to the Kansas City area in 1998. He built his career in retail management, most notably with Montgomery Ward, where he was known as a manager whose employees genuinely loved working for him. He led with fairness, humor and genuine respect for those around him.

Jerry was, at his core, a lifelong learner. He loved art, history, sports, music and movies. He had a sharp wit and a deep love of storytelling in all its forms — from books to films and television. He delighted equally in absurdist comedy and classic American Westerns, drawn always to a story well told. He was proud to be an American, proud to be a Democrat, and he believed deeply in supporting the troops, civic engagement and an informed citizenry.

Few things brought Jerry more joy than the natural world. He captured its beauty through photography and passed down a reverence for the mountains, flowers and wildlife to his children. Family traditions he created — annual Christmas light displays, backyard grilling, opening day baseball and listening to jazz — remain woven into the lives of those he loved. He was also a man of specific pleasures: eggnog and bourbon in December, peanut butter on Ritz crackers, and the particular agony of watching the Chiefs in a losing season.

Though raised in the Catholic faith, Jerry ultimately found his deepest sense of meaning in Humanism — a philosophy grounded in reason, compassion and the dignity of human life. He was proud of that identity and lived it with sincerity.

Above all else, Jerry loved his family. It showed in every photograph, in every tradition he created and kept, in the pride that lit up his face when he talked about his children. That love was uncomplicated and unmistakable — the kind you could feel in a room. He was a man who found his greatest joy in the people gathered around him, and he made sure they knew it.

Jerry is survived by his son, Jeff Parker and wife Andrea, and their daughters, Kaitlin and Madison; his daughter, Kelly Stimson and husband Rich; his sister, Laura Blackwell and her husband Jim; and Laura’s son Evan, his wife Nicole, and their son Drew. He was preceded in death by his father, Albert Patejdl, Jr., his mother, June Bumstead Patejdl and niece, Lisa Blackwell.

A celebration of life will be held with family. Jerry’s family invites those who wish to honor his memory to consider a donation to The Nature Conservancy (nature.org), in keeping with his lifelong love of the natural world.