Gerald “Jerry” Roth, 57, of Jefferson, SD passed away Thursday, October 20, 2011 at a local hospital following injuries sustained while helping others that were involved in a car accident.
Funeral Mass will be held at 1:00 P.M. Monday, October 24, 2011 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Father Craig Collison officiating. Visitation will be Sunday, October 23, 2011 from 4-8 P.M. with the family present from 6-8 P.M. and a Vigil Service at 7:00 P.M. at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel. Online condolences may be given at www.meyerbroschapels.com.
Jerry was born November 17, 1953 in Dubuque, Iowa the son of Art and Alberta (Burlidge) Roth. Jerry graduated from Iowa State College. He married Beverly Birchard on February 20, 1992 in Jamaica. Jerry worked in the credit union industry for the past 23 years, and most recently was the President and CEO of Sioux Valley Community Credit Union for 9 years. Jerry loved to hunt, fish, boat, and golf. He was an active member of the Pheasants Forever and the Ducks Unlimited.
Survivors include his wife Beverly Roth of Jefferson, SD; his mother Alberta Roth of Dubuque, Iowa; a son Logan Roth of Jefferson, SD; a daughter Susan Roth-Shotland and husband Aaron of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; a brother Robert and wife Terri Roth of Nashville, TN; and a sister Doris and husband Dan Keyes of Madison, WI.
He was preceded in death by his father Art Roth.
JEFFERSON, S.D. — When Gerald Roth came upon a car accident Thursday night, the Jefferson, S.D., man did what came naturally, his family said: He pulled off Interstate 29 to help.
At about 9 p.m., Roth — the president and CEO of Sioux Valley Community Credit Union — parked on the shoulder and walked to assist drivers involved in a two-vehicle crash that happened a short time earlier near the South Dakota-Iowa border.
As Roth, 57, entered a lane to warn oncoming motorists of the crash, he was struck by a Dodge Durango, police said. Responders rushed him to a Sioux City hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
“He would never think twice of putting himself in danger; he would always run out to help someone in danger,” said Roth’s son, Logan, 18.
The South Dakota Highway Patrol on Friday said Roth stopped to help in a crash involving a 2002 Oldsmobile Aurora driven by Jefferson Galvin, 15, of Dakota Dunes, S.D., and a 1998 Mercury Sable driven by Lena Ramirez, 21, of Sioux City.
Galvin had lost control on a curve while traveling northbound, crossed the median into the southbound lanes and struck the Mercury driven by Ramirez, police said. Both drivers were taken to a Sioux City hospital with what authorities described as serious, non-life threatening injures.
Then shortly after 9 p.m., a southbound 2004 Dodge Durango driven by Kenneth R. Farley, 40, of Lincoln, Neb., struck Roth.
Roth was a father of two who loved his family, said wife Beverly Roth. He is survived by his son Logan, a freshman at South Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D., and daughter Susan Roth-Shotland, of Philadelphia.
Roth was known to go around his neighborhood lending out tools to help others with projects, his family said.
He was a sportsman who enjoyed the outdoors, especially pheasant hunting and boating. He cherished time spent training his two Labradors, Nash and Cooper, every day in the field, Logan Roth said.
“If he could be with his family while hunting or fishing, it was a good day,” Beverly Roth said.
Visitation is scheduled from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Meyer Bros. Colonial Chapel, 3220 Stone Park Blvd. in Sioux City. A funeral mass is planned for 1 p.m. on Monday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 5000 Military Road in Sioux City.
