Jerry Allen Winburn age 81 , of Clinton, Missouri, passed away, Saturday, April 15th, 2023 at Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare.
Jerry was born on January 31, 1942 to James A Winburn and Katherine Cassel Winburn in Kansas City, MO. Jerry grew up on a farm just outside of Lee’s Summit, MO where his parents and grandparents were also raised. Jerry graduated from Lee’s Summit High School in 1960 where he served as student body president his senior year. He attended college at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, TX and graduated with his Bachelor’s in Architecture from the University of Kansas and continued to be a lifelong KU Basketball fanatic, Rock Chalk!
During his studies at KU, he got the opportunity to travel to Europe in 1965 to study both the art and architecture of many of the historic cities on the continent.
After graduation, Jerry began work at Black & Veatch as an architect until his U.S. Army Reserve unit was called to duty in Vietnam in 1968-69. After his service, he worked for Macy’s as a construction manager and as the inspection director for the City of Lee’s Summit.
Jerry married Rita Jones in Louisburg, KS on March 6, 1971 and were married for 52 years. They lived together in Lee’s Summit, MO for the first 8 years of their marriage before moving to Clinton, MO in 1979 where Jerry took a job with Westport Construction. In 1982, he started his own architectural firm, Jerry A. Winburn & Associates and spent the rest of his career designing many buildings and homes in Clinton and the surrounding communities, retiring in 2008.
Jerry and Rita had two children, Shane and Cody. As a family man, Jerry helped coach his son’s soccer and baseball teams and helped both boys during their scouting career on their way to achieving their Eagle Scout rank. He also spent a lot of time with the boys hunting quail, pheasant, deer, and elk as well as boating and fishing the Truman Lake area. Jerry loved traveling with his family out West to the Rocky Mountains. Summer vacations were spent camping and trout fishing in the Rockies and annual ski trips were taken each winter with big groups of dear friends and family. He also spent many Septembers with friends hunting elk and mule deer in Colorado and many springs traveling to different fisheries in the Midwest and South. He loved these and many other outdoor hobbies and passed on that knowledge and passion to his kids and grandkids.
While it’s only speculation, it is widely believed Jerry holds the lifetime record for drinking the most coffee at the local “coffee shops” in Clinton. He loved getting together daily with friends from the community to talk politics, current events, tall tales, and most importantly, where the fish are biting. He could spin a tale with the best of them and will be missed by the coffee shop crew.
Most recently Jerry and Rita spent a lot of time working and enjoying their farm near Louisburg, but his greatest joy during retirement was his grandchildren Gavin and Hannah. He loved watching them play baseball, soccer, softball, basketball, and track and rarely missed a banquet, ceremony, or performance. He also loved to travel, boat, and fish with the kiddos and loved his time spent with them during holidays.
Jerry is survived by his wife, Rita “Jones” Winburn, sons Shane and Cody Winburn and Daughter in law Nancy Winburn. Grandchildren Gavin and Hannah Winburn. Brother James C. Winburn. Sister in laws Mary Kay Winburn and Ellen Jones. Nephews Kevin Winburn, Colby (Barbara) Jones, and Andrew (Sarah) Jones, and Nieces Jimma Winburn, Suzanne (Scott) Heffner, and Nanette (Ryan) Mills along with many great nieces and great nephews.
Funeral services were held April 19, 2023 at the Clinton Christian Church with Pastor Tim Wessley officiating. Special music included “In the Garden, Amazing Grace and How Great Thou Art.” The casket bearers were Colby Jones, Shane Winburn, Cody WInburn, Andrew Jones, Darby Kernohan and Todd Kernohan. Bill Marshall, Ron Cook, Ryan Mills, Bill Kernohan, Brandon Winders and Scott Heffner were honorary bearers. Interment was in Lee’s Summit Historical Cemetery, Lee’s Summit, MO.
Services were under the direction of Vansant-Mills Funeral Home of Clinton, MO.
