DODGE CITY – Jerry Droste, 80, died Monday, July 29, 2019 in rural Ford County from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.

He was born June 27, 1939 at Spearville, the son of Albert and Elsie (Torline) Droste.  He was a General Contractor for over 30 years and 25 years ago started ranching.  He planted over 30,000 trees on his own ground as well as many more trees for the Conservation Service.

He served in the United States Army during the Vietnam War.

On November 14, 1978 he married Cheryl Swisher at Las Vegas, Nevada. She survives.

Other survivors include: ; a daughter, Diane Clark and husband Troy, Dodge City; a son, Travis Bangs, Dodge City; 6 grandchildren, Taylor Droste, Aubrey Droste, Danielle Wetzel, Christopher Clark, Skyler Clark, Tiffany Houdeshell; 5 great grandchildren; 3 brothers, Leonard Droste and wife Roberta, Spearville Kansas, Art Droste, Greensborough, North Carolina, and Pete Droste and wife Ruby, Wichita, Kansas; 3 sisters, Janet Slattery, Dodge City, Jean Sprott and husband Steve, Dodge City and Lois Bailey, Dodge City.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a daughter, Cindy Mooradian, 3 brothers, Alfred, Carl and Melvin Droste and a sister, Zita Schriner.

Memorial services will be at 11:00 am Thursday, August 1, 2019 at the Dodge City Church of Christ with Rev. David Graves officiating.  Private family burial will be at a later date in the Appleton Township Cemetery, south of Minneola.  There will be no public viewing, cremation has taken place.  Friends may sign the register from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Wednesday at Ziegler Funeral Chapel, Dodge City.

The family suggests memorials to Hospice of the Prairie in care of Ziegler Funeral Chapel, 1901 N. 14th Ave., Dodge City, Kansas 67801.