JERRY D. MCLAIN

Jerry D. McLain was born in Woodward, Oklahoma on April 19, 1944, to E. Vernon and E. Marie (Staats) McLain. Jerry was raised in Selman Oklahoma, graduating from Selman High School with the class of 1962. Jerry was a proud Mustang!

Jerry enlisted in the US Army on July 31, 1962 proudly serving two years before being medically (honorably) discharged. He was very proud that three of his sons and now, one grandson chose to serve in the Army.

On June 26, 1964, he married Bonita Kay Gruenenwald and four children were born to this union: Debra, Joe, Jerry, and John.

On January 22, 1977, Jerry married the love of his life, Gail D. Miller, and two children were born to this union, Crystal and Paul.

Jerry worked for ODOT, in the oilfield and finally for Harper County District 1 and District 3 as a blade operator before he retired, on December 31, 2009, after 28 years of service.

Jerry had an immense passion for his Green Bay Packers and OU Sooners and an immense hatred for the Dallas “Cowgirls,” as he called them. He enjoyed genealogy after retirement eventually tracing his roots to the American Revolution. Doing so, he was inducted into The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution on October 4, 2019. He also loved his daily “quarter” games with the “old” men at the golf course.

Jerry enjoyed every moment spent with his wife, kids, grandkids, great-grandkids, dogs and grand dogs. He never called a person by their given name. You never knew what name you would be called but you always knew he was talking to you and you always answered. His laugh was infectious and he always had a big smile on his face. He enjoyed bragging about his loved ones to anyone who would listen and you could never see Jerry without wearing his “French’s” mustard stained t-shirt.

Jerry was a devout member of the Zion Lutheran Church in Buffalo, OK, serving as an elder for many years. Jerry passed away at the age of 81, peacefully on January 20, 2026, at Western Skilled Nursing and Therapy, surrounded by the love and presence of his family and friends.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, Vernon and Marie McLain, his first wife, Bonnie, his sisters, Clara, Betty, Peggy, Cheryl, Johnna, Lois, Lela and Shirley, his brothers, Vernon, Dale, and Joe, his brothers-in-law, George, Dick, and Ealdon, sister-in-law, Ruth Ann.

Jerry is survived by his wife, Gail, of the home, his brother, Don and wife, Linda McLain, his brother-in-law, Thomas Nimmo, his children, Debra and her husband, Jim Reichwald, Joe and his wife, Caryn McLain, Jerry and his wife, Katie McLain, John and his wife, Bree McLain, Crystal McLain and her partner, Bradley Bowles, and Paul and his wife, Nilsa McLain, 19 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews and other family members.