Funeral services for Jerry Lynn Lamason, Colonel U.S. Army, age 88, of Fallon, Nev. formerly of Page, Neb. was held on Saturday, Nov. 21 at the Page United Methodist Church in Page, Neb. Burial will be in the Page Cemetery with military rites conducted by the U.S. Army Honor Guard. Visitation and a prayer service were held Friday, Nov. 20 at Biglin’s Mortuary in O’Neill. Jerry passed away Sunday evening, Nov. 15 in Fallon. Memorials may be made to the family for future designation.
Jerry Lynn Lamason, Colonel (retired), born Aug. 15, 1927, grew up in Page, Neb. At seventeen (1944) he joined the U.S. Army ROTC program at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, graduating with a commission in the United States Army as a second lieutenant.
Lamason served in the Philippines and then MacDill Airforce Base, Tampa, Fla. where he met his wife, Betty Jo DeArmas. They were married in 1949. Throughout Lamason’s career he served in many overseas and stateside assignments including England; Japan; Korea; Vietnam; Germany and Okinawa. His final assignment before retiring in 1978 was at Letterkenny Army Depot, Pa. There he served as deputy commander and commander of the U.S. Army Depot Systems Command (DESCOM) in which he commanded 36,000 personnel at seventeen depots stateside and two in Germany. For his service at his last command he received the Army’s highest award for merit, the Distinguished Service Cross.
From 1978-1980 Lamason served as contracted military advisor to the Pentagon. From 1980-1995 he worked as plant manager of the Hawthorne Army Ammunition Plant in Nevada.
Jerry and Betty had five children: Cheryl Riege of Page, Neb.; Mitzie Going of Fallon, Nev.; Patricia Coen of Hawthorne; Renee Ballenger of Cedar City, Utah and son Gerald Richard who preceded his parents in death while Col. Lamason was stationed in Okinawa. His posterity includes fourteen grandchildren and twenty-two great grandchildren.
Mr. Jerry L. Lamason was my boss at DZB in Hawthorne for 13.years. I liked and admired him the entire time. He was a role model, plus he was there for me during a few family deaths during that period of time. I was blessed to have had a great career using things I learned from him as I climbed my career tree. I wish I could have seen him again, when I moved back to NV as I lived in Fallon in 2011 – 2012 & am now just in Silver Springs, never realizing he lived right there in Fallon. I’m sorry for that. I’m sure he would have remembered me. He was quite a guy & I will never forget him. To the family, my deepest condolence. To Mitzi, I hope u r well. I know u r a daddy’s girl just like me. He will always be in your heart so don’t forget to talk to him cuz I guarantee he will answer u always. I still talk to mine, 10 yrs now.