Jerry Maley, longtime LaCrosse cattle rancher, passed away December 30, 2016 at the Tekoa Care Center. He was 78. A Celebration of his Life will be held on Friday, January 13, 2017, at the Colfax First Baptist Church at 1:00 p.m. with a reception following in the church social hall. A private family burial will be in the LaCrosse Cemetery. Jerry Joseph Maley was born December 16, 1938 in Spokane, Washington to Art and May (Lutz) Maley. He grew up on a farm near Thornton, Washington and attended school at Pine City, Thornton and graduated from Rosalia High School in 1956. Jerry helped his family on the farm and was active in all the school sports as a teenager. Jerry attended Eastern Washington University in Cheney where he majored in business. He married Karen Bush, who he knew from high school, on September 7, 1958 in Rosalia. They lived in Cheney until Jerry finished college and then went back to farming near Thornton. In 1969 Jerry and Karen moved their young family to LaCrosse and took over a cattle ranching operation just north of town. They raised their boys on the ranch and Jerry loved every minute of his work. He loved the cows and really had no other hobbies that he enjoyed more than the ranch. Through hard work and dedication Jerry and Karen grew the operation into the large cattle ranch that it is today. He never did truly retire. He did like to golf and he and Karen both became avid Cougar football fans and attended the games frequently. Jerry was a member of the Washington Cattlemen's Association and the Washington Cattle Feeder's Association as well as the LaCrosse Lions Club. He was a member of and attended Selbu Lutheran Church in LaCrosse. He loved following his favorite sports teams of the Boston Red Sox, the Cougars and the Gonzaga Bulldogs basketball team. Jerry is survived by his wife of 58 years, Karen, at their LaCrosse home; 2 sons, Miles and Bruce Maley both living in Yakima, WA.; 3 grandchildren, Morgan (Tyler) Zentz, Madison and McKayla Maley all living in Yakima; his brother Bob Maley of Thornton and his sister, Darlene Buergel of Rosalia. He was preceded in death by a brother Mike Maley, a half-brother, Don Stamback and half-sister, Juanita Brown and by his parents. The family suggests memorial gifts be made to the Selbu Lutheran Church or to the LaCrosse EMT's. On-line guest book is at www.bruningfuneralhome.com
Bruning Funeral Home of Colfax is caring for the family.