Jerome Puckett

Jerome "Jerry" Hunt Puckett passed away in Durango, CO on April 15, 2021 just short of his 73rd birthday.

Visitation will be held on Friday April 23, 2021 from 6-7 p.m. at Hood Mortuary Chapel and Funeral services will be held Saturday, April 24, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. at the Durango Church of Christ, 2100 W. 3rd Ave. Masks will be required.

Jerry was born to Marshall and Bernice (Caudle) Puckett in Carlsbad, NM on April 25, 1948. When Jerry was about 5 years old his Dad took him to an allergy clinic in Oklahoma City. While in Altus, OK on the way home Jerry had his first experience with a tornado. Because the Puckett family had allergies and asthma, Marshall decided to look for work in Colorado because while vacationing in Colorado they had no problems. In 1957 they moved to Pinon Acres in Durango, CO. Jerry went to Orr and Cottonwood Schools, then to Florida Mesa where he finished elementary school. He attended Miller Junior High School and he graduated from Durango High School in 1966. Miller was a new school and not quite finished so after school Jerry would help Marshall with uncrating light fixtures and picking up. Jerry was so smart that he thought he didn't have to do any homework, which eventually caused problems between him, his parents and his teachers, but he did graduate. Jerry remained close to many of his fellow graduates of the class of 1966. Jerry attended Abilene Christian for 2 years before he was "invited" not to return, then he went to Fort Lewis where again he was "invited" not to return. He moved to Silverton and worked in the mines, Standard and Dixie Lynn, and made lifelong friends there. Mining was not for him so he returned to Fort Lewis and made straight A's and graduated. He then went to CU in Boulder working on a Ph.D. in Mathematics for a couple of years before his money ran out. He moved to Texas where his brother Joe was living and got a job with Texas Instruments.

His intentions were to go to Texas Tech and graduate, but slowly he worked his way up and became part of the engineering department of TI. He worked in Lubbock and was transferred to Dallas where he continued working for TI until 1989 when he decided he had had enough of Texas and returned to Durango. He got a job teaching at Pueblo Community College and taught there for 25 years while still helping with motors at Puckett Electric. Even after retiring from teaching Jerry would tutor students in math. Jerry was enjoying retirement and he especially enjoyed the trips to Kansas and Virginia to visit his daughters and grandkids.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents and his son Jason Michael.

He is survived by daughters Valerie (Ron) Mizerak, and Stephanie (Nicholas) Ervin; grandchildren Echo, Eero, NB and Eamon Michael; siblings: Marsha (Jim) Beaver, and Joe (Susie) Puckett: nieces: Lacy (Juan) Garcia and Jodi (Tyler) Hunt; great-nephew: Rango Garcia; and many cousins and friends.