Jerry Lee Glubke

Jerry L. Glubke, 86, a Battle Creek native and longtime resident, died on Wednesday, April 7, 2021, at Reflections Memory Care where he had lived a little more than two weeks.

Jerry was born on February 28, 1935, in Battle Creek, the son of Joseph N. and Teresa A. (Lybarger) Glubke. He was a 1953 graduate of Battle Creek Central High School and also had attended the old Battle Creek Community College and Kellogg Community College.

Jerry worked for 35 years at the Carton and Container Division of Post Cereals, retiring in 1988. At C&C, he was in the accounting department for 21 years, rising to the role of budget supervisor. He then worked 14 years in the manufacturing department where he was the finishing-warehouse foreman. In August 1965, Jerry transferred to the Post plant in Saratoga Springs, NY., where he and his young family lived for about two years before returning to Battle Creek. Jerry was proud of his time at Post and, as a manager, always tried to treat others the way he wanted to be treated. Jerry was a member of the Post 25 Year Club. He served on the Board of Directors of the Post Employees Credit Union for 17 years, and was the treasurer for 15 of those years.

Jerry was a man of many passions and golf was perhaps his greatest passion of all. He was an outstanding golfer most of his adult life and, over the years, had been a member of Marywood Country Club, Bedford Valley Country Club, Riverside Country Club and Cedar Creek Country Club. He was proud of the fact that he shot in the low 70s much of his adult life. In August 2010, at the age of 75, he shot a hole-in-one on the 170-yard 11th hole at Cedar Creek – something he always regarded as a peak experience. Jerry also enjoyed watching boxing, football, basketball, and baseball. For several years in the 1970s, he coached Mike's little league team.

He was an avid music fan and almost always had music playing in the background. A trumpeter in his high school marching band, Jerry especially enjoyed jazz trumpet and swing music. He was a big fan of the Brass Band of Battle Creek and rarely missed a concert.

Jerry and Marion loved to travel and, in 2001, they took a trip to Italy and Switzerland to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary. They also had traveled throughout the United States and Canada. They made dozens of trips to New York City to visit Mark and Jeff, and made numerous trips to Orange County, CA, and Austin, TX, to visit Mike and Jody and their family. For several years, Jerry and Marion spent part of each winter in Austin to be near Mike and his family.

Jerry always said that his family was the most important thing in his life and there was nothing he enjoyed more than family gatherings. He also had a keen interest in family history. He was proud of his Polish heritage and loved sharing memories of his Glubka (that was the original family name) ancestors from Minnesota. In 2013, Jerry and Mark took a genealogy trip to Minnesota to find ancestral sights and reconnect with cousins he had not seen in decades.

Jerry was an animal lover and volunteered for years at the Humane Society of South Central Michigan. He also loved antique cars (especially Kaiser and Chevrolet), mystery novels, Battle Creek history, Broadway theater, gangster movies of the 1930s and 1940s, and a good Reuben sandwich.

Jerry was a warm, funny, humble and unpretentious man who was loved by all who knew him. He laughed easily and frequently, and genuinely seemed to enjoy his life. It is a testament to his character that several people outside the immediate family regarded him as an important father figure.

60 years ago this month, Jerry married the love of his life, the former Marion L. Lutz. Their wedding took place on April 22, 1961, in the Ceresco Baptist Church. In addition to Marion, Jerry is survived by his three children, Mark (Jeffrey White) Glubke of Kalamazoo, Mike (Jody) Glubke of Austin, TX, and Kristen (Chad) Bevins of Battle Creek; six grandchildren, Sarah (Joe) Kelsey of Kansas City, MO, Allison (Rick) Downs of Battle Creek, Brandon Marsh of Kalamazoo, and Nolan, Jillian and Gracelyn Glubke, all of Austin, TX; a sister-in-law, Marilyn Glubke of Battle Creek; and many nieces, nephews and friends.

He was preceded in death by his brother and best friend, Louis C. Glubke.

A visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, April 16, at Farley-Estes Funeral Home. A celebration of Jerry's life will be held at noon Saturday, April 17, at Riverside Country Club. Burial will take place at Memorial Park Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the South Michigan Food Bank, the Humane Society of South Central Michigan or the Alzheimer's Foundation of America. Personal messages or stories for the family may be placed here at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.