Jerry Addy

After a week in ICU, Jerry Lee Addy, 82, had two life support systems removed, as were his wishes, and peacefully passed away a little after 4:00 PM on January 11, 2023. He was surrounded by his loving family and snored for a couple hours before passing, somewhat warmly reminiscent of how most family holidays ended.

Jerry asked us to remember him for the Iowa Public Employees Law that he helped to craft and pass as Labor Commissioner. He was the Democratic appointee of Republican Governor Robert Ray. He worked with a Republican Legislature; Brice Oakley was the Committee Chair. In short, the law gave public employees more rights for which they could bargain and be protected under grievances. It was a different time with different politics. The law has since been gutted, but it did serve an entire generation well before it went.

Jerry enjoyed working and had a long career whether as a labor commissioner, union business agent and activist (Operating Engineers, Local 234) political activist, political handler and driver, PAC lobbyist (Central Iowa Building and Construction Trades), or consultant. Everybody who ever worked with him has a Jerry Addy story, even President Joe Biden. While running for president in the early 2000s, Biden made the entire Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner listen to his Jerry Addy story of a colorful back roads trip of Iowa that Addy took him on the first time he ran (that shall remain not transcribed).

Jerry is survived by his loving wife, Pat, who supported Jerry throughout, but especially at the end of his life. He is also survived by his stepdaughter Donya; his son Jim (wife, Christa), and granddaughter Faye, who he enjoyed doting over.

There will be no public services. To say goodbye, look for Jerry in the breeze or at E. 9th and Grand in the Iowa Workers’ Monument. At the request of Governor Vilsack, and later the support of Governor Culver, Addy worked to put together a committee to erect a public monument to the work and work ethic of Iowans on the State Capital grounds. Working as a SPPG consultant, and with the help of owner Tom “Sawyer” Slater, he engaged a committee to conceptualize, contract with an artist (Michael Stutz), have a design approved, build, and raise money to fund its care for perpetuity. You’ll find all these guys names on the Monument, along with a couple other great people who tried to make Iowa its best.

Jerry was busy with work, but he always had time for a sale, as he was Iowa’s original picker. Literally driving around Iowa to represent union members or escort political candidates, he found all kinds of sales for all kinds of items. Ever mention you need something, and you’d receive that item many times over – he just wanted to share.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Planned Parenthood and the ARL in memory of Jerry.

Online condolences and Jerry Addy stories that are suitable to communicate on public media may be expressed at www.hamiltonsfuneralhome.com

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