Jerome Marvin "Jerry" Smeby

Jerome (Jerry) Marvin Smeby, of Kansas City, MO, passed away Wednesday, August 28, 2024 at Olathe Hospice House.  A gravesite ceremony is scheduled for September 7, 11 a.m. at the Wellsville Cemetery.  A celebration of life in October is to be announced.

Jerry was born January 6, 1940 in Newfolden, Minnesota as an only child to Tillford Marvin Smeby and Ethel Irene Kivle Smeby. Growing up in Newfolden, he enjoyed a loving relationship with his grandparents, Martin Smeby and Mathilda Ostby Smeby, spending many hours of his childhood in his grandfather’s hardware store. His grandfather taught him to hunt and fish and he would be an avid fisherman his entire life.  He was also an avid sports fan, and loved the KU Jayhawks, the Kansas City Royals, and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Jerry graduated from East Grand Forks High school in 1958.  He attended North Dakota State for two years, and then transferred to Kansas University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics.  In 1971, he earned a master’s degree in mathematics from Ohio University. 

In his early career, Jerry taught 8th grade algebra at Southeast Junior High School in Lawrence, in Libertyville, Illinois, and at Millbrook Junior High in Olathe.  In the 1970’s he had an opportunity to enter the computer science industry, and he began a long and successful career as a computer programmer and systems analyst, working in California, Chicago, and Kansas City.  Jerry retired from Sprint in Kansas City around 2010.

He was married to Carol Marie Good from 1964 to 1972.  Together they had two children, Steven and Kristin.  He also adopted Carol’s oldest daughter, Kim.  From 1984 to 1988, he was married to Mary Neumeister and together they had a daughter, Amy.

Jerry is survived by his son Steven Nicolay (Heather) of Tonganoxie, his daughter Kristin Allred of Wellsville, his daughter Kim Ross of Remington, VA, and his daughter Amy Cope of Leonardtown, MD.  He had 7 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild:  Shea West (Jesse) of Lawrence, Nicholas Allred of San Diego, CA, Lindy Manguso (Trevor Heckman) of Pheonix, AZ, Jaime Castillis (Derek) of Remington VA, Paige Ross (Waylon Gaye) of Kansas City, MO, Taylor Cope, Claire Cope of Leonardtown MD, and Omari Gaye, his great grandson, of Kansas City.

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