Gerald "Jerry" Benne
Oakland, Nebraska
Gerald “Jerry” Lee Benne, age 85, of Oakland, Nebraska, passed away, surrounded by family, on February 12, 2026. Jerry was born December 29, 1940, in West Point, Nebraska, to Herman and Evelyn (Ahrens) Benne.One of six children who grew up on the north end of main street, he attended Oakland High School. Jerry loved fast cars and his ‘57 Chevy with the cherry red hardtop, and after high school, he drove truck for Wallerstedt Feed and also transported livestock for Case Transfer.He married Barbara Ann Young, of Tekamah, Nebraska, in June 1961. To this union were born three children: Bruce, Jeff, and Brenda. Living with his in-laws in Geneva while attending Nebraska Vocational Technical School in Milford, he obtained a degree in refrigeration, appliances, and electric. The family returned to Oakland, where Jerry started Benne Refrigeration and Electric. He closed this business when the family moved to Omaha in 1971,…