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.