Gerald D. Sands

South Sioux City - Gerald Dean Sands Sr., 78, of South Sioux City died Friday, June 14, 2013, at his residence surrounded by his family.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at First Lutheran Church in South Sioux City, with the Rev. Jerry Gilbreath officiating. Interment will be in Oak Hill Cemetery, Anthon, Iowa. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m., at Morningside Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Homes in Sioux City. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.christysmith.com .
Gerald was born on Oct. 6, 1934, in Anthon, to Rudolph "Rudy" and Maxine (Servis) Sands. He went to school at Number 3 Country School and high school in Climbing Hill, Iowa. Gerald went to work for Armour Packing Company in 1953 and worked there until it closed 10 years later. He started farming in 1955 near Bronson, Iowa, and moved to his grandfather's farm in 1957.
Gerald married Pat Green on March 4, 1956 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Climbing Hill. The couple have three children, Gerald Sands Jr., Thomas Sands and Debbie (Sands) Burrack. In 1960, the couple moved to their own farm near Waterbury, Neb. They attended church in Ponca, Neb., where Gerald was confirmed in March 1961. In 1963, with the closing of the Armour Plant, Gerald went to work for IBP, Iowa Beef Processing, at the plant in Dakota City. He helped build the plant and continued to work there for 38 years until his retirement in 2002. The family moved to South Sioux City in 1967 and joined the First Lutheran Church in South Sioux City. Gerald continued to farm with his two boys until the end.
Survivors include is his wife, Patricia; two sons, Gerald Jr. and Barb Sands of Ponca, and Thomas and Vickie Sands of Allen, Neb.; daughter, Debbie and David Burrack of Macungie, Pa.; nine grandchildren and spouses, Jason Sands, Misty Sands, Ashley Sands, Jim and Kristine Maxey, Kim and Ed Moore, Ann Maxey, Brandon and Keri Sands, Donovan Burrack and Shelly Widner and Dustin Burrack; 14 great-grandchildren and one on the way; a brother, Randy Sands; brother-in-laws, Roger and Sherrie Green, and Alan and Randi Green; and a sister-in-law, Janet and Willie Meyers.
Gerald was preceded in death by his parents, Rudy and Maxine (Servis) Sands; brothers, Jay Sands, and Steve Sands; an infant sister, Diane Sands; and his in-laws, William and Erna Green.