09/20/2026
Last week I said good bye to my father. So sad and so very hard. He accomplished much in his life but I will always remember him most as my dad and “Pa” to my children. Dad you were greatly loved and will be deeply missed.
Dr. Jerry Paul Draayer passed into eternal life on September 13, 2026, at the age of 84, following a long and valiant battle with cancer. Jerry’s life was a remarkable journey, from humble beginnings on a Minnesota farm to an internationally recognized career in theoretical nuclear physics.
Born in Hollandale, Minnesota, on August 18, 1942, to Bert H. and Hattie Draayer, Jerry never forgot the values he learned early in life and that would define him throughout his life: hard work, curiosity, generosity, and humility.
Jerry earned his Ph.D. in physics and mathematics from Iowa State University and completed postdoctoral work at the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen, the University of Michigan, and the University of Rochester. He joined the faculty of Louisiana State University in 1975 and remained closely associated with LSU for more than five decades.
Jerry devoted his career to understanding the structure and behavior of atomic nuclei. Over the course of his career, Jerry published over 550 scientific articles and delivered over 200 invited lectures worldwide. Jerry traveled extensively throughout Europe, Asia, and Central and South America pursuing his research while developing lasting relationships with colleagues.
For all his professional accomplishments, Jerry remained deeply committed to family. He was married for 45 years to Lois Van Wyk Draayer, the mother of their three daughters, Leah, Sarah, and Martha. Jerry and Lois were actively involved at University Baptist Church, where Jerry remained a member until his passing. Lois’s unexpected death in 2009 was a profound loss to Jerry and to their daughters and grandchildren.
After Lois’s death, Jerry married Hortensia Teresita Valdes, embracing her family as his own. He became a beloved stepfather, step-grandfather, and member of her extended family. These relationships brought him great joy and comfort in his later years.
