Jerry John Corfield

Jerry John Corfield, 78, of Arthur, Nebraska, passed away August 24, 2026, at his home.

Jerry was born January 25, 1948, in Ogallala, Nebraska, to Erle D. and Mildred Belle (Hiner) Corfield. He was raised on the family ranch eleven miles south of Arthur alongside his four siblings, Joyce, Erle Dean, Jim, and Laurel. Jerry was drafted into the US Army following school, where he served until his honorable discharge.

On December 2, 1972, he married Norma Thomas in Rapid City, South Dakota, and the two came home to Nebraska where they raised four children, Jeff, Jo, Lisa, and Jeremy.

Jerry was tough and hardworking, and those who knew him knew that was not a figure of speech. Ranching was always a core part of his identity, no matter what else he did in life, from hauling garbage to scrapping iron, construction, breaking horses, and moving buildings. He was an expert structural mover and handled quite a number of heavy hauls over the years, always the "old fashioned way," and usually with some family along for the ride. He always dreamed of having a ranch of his own; he was always a cowboy at heart.

There was little Jerry could not do once he set his mind to it. He could figure out how to fix about anything, and he was always willing to help with whatever needed done, whether he knew you or not.

Jerry enjoyed being around family and friends and was always ready to go to a rodeo, and of course the Calcutta. He loved watching his grandchildren in their sporting events and giving them pointers.

Coyote hunting was always something Jerry looked forward to. He kept animals around all his life, from horses to goats, and especially the greyhounds he hunted with; he was very good at training them to hunt, even on horseback. Jerry also enjoyed gardening, fishing, and playing cards, especially cribbage and pinochle, and he was a wonderful cook.

Jerry was a devoted caregiver to Norma as her health began to fail, seeing her through to the very end. He learned to give her dialysis at home and stayed by her side in the hospital.

Jerry was a great example of the old adage: "work hard, play hard."

Jerry was preceded in death by his wife, Norma; his father, Erle; his mother, Mildred "Millie" Belle; grandchild, JD Corfield; and daughter-in-law, MaryLou Thomas.

He is survived by his son, Jeff Thomas Sr. (Vicki Bolton) of Arthur; his daughters, Jo (Mike) Shalla of Ogallala and Lisa (George) Allard of Ogallala; his son, Jeremy (Rebecca) Corfield of Arthur; his special friend, Deb Musser of Mullen; his grandchildren, Jeffery Jr. (Brooke) Thomas, Justin (Rhea) Thomas, Becca (Justin) Williams, Jessie (Mikel) Dowdy, Dillon McKeag, Elias McKeag, Lucia McKeag, and Tallulah McKeag; Rave Corfield, and Jaci Corfield; four great-grandchildren, Sawyer Dowdy, BrayLyn Dowdy, Reagan Dowdy, and Maisey Dowdy, with one more on the way; his siblings, Joyce (Gary) Scofield of Ogallala, Erle Dean (Sally) Corfield of Oshkosh, Jim (Linette) Corfield of Brady, and Laurel (Ken) Kennedy of Ogallala; and numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

Funeral services will be held Monday, August 31, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. at Arthur Veterans Memorial Hall, with Pastor Blake Wilkes officiating. Interment with military honors will follow at the Arthur Cemetery.

Visitation will be held Sunday, August 30, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Prairie Hills Funeral Home in Ogallala.

A memorial has been established in Jerry's memory for later designation. Condolences may be shared at prairiehillsfuneralhome.com, where the service will be streamed live.

Prairie Hills Funeral Home of Ogallala is in charge of arrangements.