SEYMOUR
Mr. Jerry J. Carmer, 79, of Seymour, passed away Tuesday, September 3, 2019 at home surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Elizabethtown, Indiana to the late Roy T. and Josephine (Spencer) Carmer.
Funeral mass will be conducted by Voss & Sons Funeral Service at St. Ambrose Catholic Church on Friday, September 6 at 11 a.m. with Father Dan Staublin officiating assisted by Deacon Larry French. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery Four Corners with full military graveside rites conducted by VFW Post 1925, American Legion Post 89, Disabled Veterans 47, Korean and Vietnam Veterans, all of Seymour.
Family and friends may call at Voss & Sons Funeral Service on Thursday from 4-8 p.m. and at St. Ambrose Catholic Church on Friday from 10 a.m. until time of Mass. Rosary service will be held at Voss & Sons Funeral Service on Thursday at 3:30 p.m.
Jerry was a 1958 graduate of Shields Senior High School and was a Torpedoman in the United States Navy. He was a member of the American Legion Post 89, Knights of Columbus, St. Vincent DePaul, a Leadership Jackson County graduate and a member of St. Ambrose Catholic Church.
He had retired from Cummins Engine Company after many years of service. In retirement, he worked for the City of Seymour as the Seniors 107 and first Recycle to Ride bus driver, where he could freely aggravate people and create smiles wherever he went.
He also was a volunteer for Schneck Home Services/Hospice and lent his time to a variety of charities, including Anchor House Food Pantry and the Riley RadioThon, which caused him to lose his hair (literally). Through the years, Jerry enjoyed camping, square dancing, gardening, stamp and arrowhead collecting and pestering people.
He married the love of his life, Judith (French) Carmer, on October 12, 1963, at St. Ambrose in Seymour, and not just because her name was tattooed on his arm. Judy preceded him in death on March 8, 2019.
Jerry and Judy were blessed with three daughters, Julie (Carvin) Otte, JoAnna (Rafe Roark) Garrett, Jane (Erin) Hays; grandchildren, Myka Wetzel, Cassandra (Alex) Tapia, “adopted” grandson Michael Hupp, Emerald (Matt Robinson) Hays, Jesse (Madyson Johnson) Garrett, Grace Otte, Millie Hays; great-grandchildren, Remi, Izabella, Ryan, Gabe, Oliver; sisters, Maria Hodge, Barbara Penrose, Linda Carmer, Cindy Moss; and brothers, Dennis Carmer and Greg Carmer.
His family made him smile, as long as they didn’t stay more than 45 minutes. He taught his family much about giving and cutting up. Many customers of Carmer Tax Service enjoyed seeing Jerry during their annual visit and many kids greatly looked forward to those visits and the suckers and Famous Amos cookies that Jerry handed out. In fact, during one of Jerry’s last trips to the hospital, he gave a sucker to a little boy who was leaving with his family and new baby brother.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife; grandson, Isaac Otte; sister, Patti Trueblood, and brother, Roy Carmer, Jr.
Memorials may be written to Hospice of Schneck Medical Center or St. Vincent DePaul Society, in care of Voss & Sons Funeral Service.
Online condolences may be given on the funeral home website at www.vossfuneralservice.com.
