Melvern - Ralph "Jerry" Silver, 91, passed away on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at Brookside Retirement Community in Overbrook, Kansas. He was born on June 4, 1934, in Burlingame, Kansas, the son of Ralph and Lucille (Hogle) Silver.

Jerry, as he was known to all, grew up in Burlingame and had lived in Colombia and Brazil as a Missionary and then Florida before moving to Lyndon for 11 years. He then moved to rural Melvern, where he has lived for the last 33 years.

Jerry graduated from the University of Kansas and began his missionary service and teaching. When he returned to Lyndon he began work for the Osage County Soil Conservation Services and did this until his retirement.

On June 6, 1958, Jerry was united in marriage to Ruth Meier in Kansas City, Missouri. To this union five children were born, Mark, Joan, Beth, Becky and Amy.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Lucille; his brother, Virgil Silver; and by a granddaughter, Morgan Woodruff.

Jerry is survived by his wife Ruth of 67 years; his son, Mark (Sandy) Silver of Pulaski, Tennessee; his four daughters, Joan (Jonathan) Starch of Melvern, Beth (Dan) Freerksen of Topeka, Becky White of Melvern and Amy Silver of Melvern; his sixteen grandchildren; twenty-five great-grandchildren; other relatives and friends.

Funeral services for Jerry will be at 10:30am on Tuesday, March 3, at the First Church of God in Melvern. Burial will be in the Melvern Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:30 to 8:00pm on Monday at the Feltner Funeral Chapel in Lyndon. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Jerry Silver Memorial Fund, sent in care of Feltner Funeral Home, 818 Topeka Avenue, Lyndon, KS 66451.