Jerrold Lee Gliko

Little Belt native and Belt area resident, Jerry Gliko, 75, passed away quietly at Peace Hospice House in Great Falls, February 10, 2019 from complications of Emphysema and COPD. A vigil will be held at St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Belt on Thursday, February 14, 2019 at 7:00 pm. Funeral liturgy will take place at St. Mark’s in Belt on Friday, February 15, 2019 at 11:00 am. Cremation has taken place under the direction of O’Connor Funeral Home and internment of the ashes will take place at a later date. Born in Great Falls, Montana on June 10, 1943 to Rudy Gliko and Edna Lee Gliko, Jerry began life on the ranch in Little Belt. His life came full circle back to the ranch as he and his brother Gary have spent the last several years working together on the place. Doing what else, but picking rocks, spraying weeds and fixing fence. Just shy of his third birthday, Jerry suffered the untimely loss of his father Rudy. Gary joined the family three months later and Edna moved everyone to Great Falls for a short period of time. They soon returned to the ranch. Aided by faith and trust in God with help from family and neighbors, they moved forward.In 1951 Edna married Tony Urick.Three sisters and a brother were added to the family. All the kids looked to Jerry as a big brother and friend. Jerry attended one-room country schools around the ranch through grade eight and then graduated from Belt Valley High School. In 1961 he headed off to Montana State College in Bozeman to study Animal Science. After numerous interruptions, a college degree was obtained in the spring of 1969. He was then hired by the American Hereford Association as a Field Man. He then worked for the Association for several years based out of Kansas City, MO, living in various states and then went into ranch management. Eventually he found a spot with the Western Livestock Journal, where he was actively engaged for several decades. Livestock insurance added another industry dimension to his numerous capabilities. In addition, he produced the annual Stock Growers Association Directory. Agriculture and the cattle industry were his life-long occupations. His eternal optimism and gift of gab suited him well over the years. While working in Ohio, the delightful manager of Jerry’s apartment building caught his eye. Elaine Adams, raised in New Jersey and living in Ohio, brought a special dimension to Jerry’s life. They were married in Kansas City, MO in December of 1973 and before long moved to Billings, where sons Josh and Aron completed their family. While there, Jerry, enjoyed many family activities that centered around fishing and boating and spending time with his wife and sons. In 2008 Jerry and Elaine moved to their present residence north of Belt. In recent years Jerry has found strength through his church and the Knights of Columbus activities. Not to mention, those special visits with relatives, family and old friends. Jerry is survived by his wife of 45 years, Elaine of the family home; son Josh of Bozeman and San Diego, CA; son Aron of Bozeman; brothers Gary Gliko of Great Falls, Rick (Barb) Urick of Waxhaw, NC; sisters Debbie (Russ) Sorensen of Butte, Virginia (Bruce) Sorensen of Belgrade, and Becky Murray of Belgrade; sister -in-laws Jane of Pickerington, OH and Lin of Princeton, NJ; brother-in-law Joe Adams of Lancaster, OH; and fourteen nieces and nephews and their families. Preceding Jerry in death were his parents, Rudy Gliko and Edna Gliko Urick; parents-in-law Joe and Ruth Adams, and nephew Drew Murray. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Belt Volunteer Ambulance, St. Mark’s Knights of Columbus and Peace Hospice. The family would to like extend their sincere thanks to all of those who have extended such loving care of Jerry. Condolences for the family may be left at www.OConnorFuneralHome.com.