Age 82, of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota
Passed away on February 28, 2026, after a brief hospitalization and a courageous six‑month battle with colon cancer. He was born on February 13, 1944, in Crowley, Louisiana.
Jerry is survived by his wife of 58 years, Elaine; his daughter, Evelyn Rose Payne (Robert); his son, Ronald; his sister, Doris (Clifton) Trahan of West Lake, LA; and his brother, Percy (Joyce) of Alexandria, LA. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Greg Smith (Alyssa) of Massachusetts, Linda Lucia (Nik Koehnen), Marissa Warren (Alfredo Rodriguez), Marcus Warren, and Xavier Lucia; three step‑grandchildren; great‑grandchildren, Luna and Aurora; and six step great‑grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Willie and Etile Abshire; and his siblings JD Broussard, Rodney, Willie Jr., Dalton, Elton, and Genevieve.
Jerry worked 30 years in maintenance at McDonald’s and later continued helping others through various odd jobs. He was known for his skill in mechanics and carpentry and for always being the one his family could rely on to fix anything.
A Gathering of Family and Friends will be held from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm on Friday, March 6th at Roberts Funeral Home, 8108 Barbara Ave., Inver Grove Heights, MN.
The family extends heartfelt thanks to the staff of Woodwinds Hospital and St. Croix Hospice for their compassionate care. Memorial contributions may be made to the family’s GoFundMe or directly to his surviving spouse. https://gofund.me/e154cca55