Jerry Headrick

Jerry Headrick, formerly of Plains, KS, passed away on February 24th under the loving care of his devoted wife, Shirley. His family was able to surround him on the evening that he died, just one day shy of his 86th birthday.

Jerry was born in Mullinville, KS on February 25th, 1938 to Kermit and Ethel Headrick. He was the 8th child in a crowded and active household that eventually included 10 children. Always proud of his roots, Jerry graduated from Mullinville High School in 1957. During his senior year, he fell deeply in love with Shirley Bowers, another Mullinville High student who had graduated a few years prior. Following a brief engagement, they were married later that year on August 20th, 1957. Life happened quickly after that.
Jerry attended Dodge City Community College and then Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva on a football scholarship. Though dementia stole much of his memory during his final years, Jerry could often recall, in remarkable detail, stories of his playing days and the lifelong friendships that he forged with his teammates.
Jerry graduated with a degree in Education. His teaching career began at Ashland (KS) High School, where he taught and coached for 9 years. Jerry moved his family to Plains in 1970 when he became the Guidance Counselor at Southwestern Heights High School. He worked there for 4 years before taking over as the Guidance Counselor at Seward County Community College (Liberal, KS). He served at SCCC for 24 years until his retirement in 1998. Jerry had a gift for helping young people find their path in the world, and former students would often remark on how much of a positive influence he had in their young lives.

In addition to his love for teaching and counseling, Jerry had a deep affection for his family. He and Shirley welcomed two sons, Brian (1958) and Darin (1960), and a daughter, Jill (1963). Family was everything to him, and he was never one to shy away from offering “free” advice to his children. They loved him very much and will miss the man that they always knew they could count on.

Those who were fortunate enough to know Jerry also knew that he had a certain appreciation for some of the finer things in life…such as a nice round of golf, a cool evening on his patio and a cold “sipper” in his hand. Jerry had the unique ability to own any room he was in, and his sharp sense of humor made any social gathering more enjoyable for everyone.
Jerry and Shirley were a wonderful couple and they enjoyed a very active lifestyle together. They were able to spend much of their retirement years golfing and traveling across the country with some of their closest friends. If you needed help with a condo rental or your golf swing, then Jerry was your man. They moved to Wichita in 2022 to be closer to family.

Jerry will be dearly missed by his friends and family. He is survived by: his wife, Shirley; sons, Brian (Terri) and Darin (Kathy), Wichita; daughter, Jill Coffey (Jim), Wichita; grandchildren Tyler Headrick, Kansas City, Sydney Headrick, Huntington Beach, CA, Slade Headrick (Kendra), Mulvane, Kyle Coffey (Trista), Newton, Taylor Headrick (Lexie), Manhattan, KS, Cody Headrick (Brie), Derby and Lexi Vlasic (Zlatko), Irvine, CA. He is also survived by 7 great-grandchildren.
The family will be having a private gathering. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to a place that Jerry loved and cared for, the Joyce L. Hamm Golf Course, P.O. Box 771, Plains, KS 67869.