Jerry Dean Warner, also known as Gerald Dean Warner, passed away peacefully at home on May 26, 2026, surrounded by his mother, Glenda Warner; his son, Glen Warner; and his son by heart, Christian Forbes.

Born on January 1, 1959, in Salina, Kansas, Jerry moved with his family to Odessa, Texas, where West Texas became the place he called home.

Some men leave behind wealth.

Jerry Warner left behind tire smoke hanging in the West Texas air, unfinished projects that were never really about being finished but about spending more time together, stories that turned into laughter every time they were retold, and a family shaped entirely by the time he gave. Time spent building, racing, talking, listening to music, and being there in ways people don’t forget.

He was the kind of man who could make a room feel lighter just by being in it. His humor, generosity, and easygoing nature left a lasting impression on everyone who knew him.

For more than 25 years, Jerry owned and operated Jerry Boy’s Used Cars in Odessa. He built his reputation the old way, through honesty, hard work, and a handshake that meant something.

Outside of work, drag racing was his greatest passion. Over the years he built multiple versions of the Junk Yard Dawg, a project that became part of the Warner family story. The car evolved through time, but its purpose never changed. It brought family together, created lasting memories, and reflected Jerry’s lifelong love of building, racing, and working with his hands.

Jerry also loved a good card game. Whether it was Texas Hold’em, trips to casinos in Hobbs, weekends in Oklahoma, or occasional adventures to Las Vegas, he enjoyed the excitement, the stories, and the people he met along the way. Some of his favorite memories were made around poker tables, surrounded by family and friends.

Jerry loved fishing just as much as he loved racing. Some of his favorite memories were made on the water with his children, spending long days at Balmorhea, Oak Creek, and countless lakes, rivers, and fishing spots through the years. Looking back, those trips were never really about the fish. They were about family, laughter, stories, and time spent together.

One of Jerry’s favorite sayings was:

“We may not be rich in money, but we’re rich in two things: love and time.”

That wasn’t just something he said. It was how he lived. As a child, when asked, “Dad, are we rich?” he would always answer the same way: “Not in money, but we are rich in love, and we are rich in time.”

Whether it was racing dirt bikes, building cars, weekends at the drag strip, playing music, going to church, attending open mic nights, or simply showing up when he was needed, Jerry gave his children what he believed mattered most: his time.

He was a machinist, businessman, racer, builder, and teacher without ever calling himself one. His lessons were rarely spoken. They were learned in garages, on road trips, at racetracks, in church pews, and in the steady rhythm of time spent together.

Above all, Jerry was proud of his family.

He is survived by his children, Gerrid Warner, Brittany Usrey, Danielle Widman, Natasha Archer, Glen Warner, and Christian Forbes, his son by heart and by love; his grandchildren; nieces and nephews; extended family; and many others whose lives were touched by his loyalty, humor, and generosity.

He was preceded in death by his father, Donald Warner, and his brother, Donald Ray “Frog” Warner.

To his mother, Glenda, Jerry was a New Year’s gift. Born on January 1, 1959, he brought joy, laughter, and life to those around him from the very beginning. He was always there when she needed him, steady, easygoing, and full of life. They shared a bond built on countless memories, and even near the end of his life, Jerry made sure to give her one more wish by taking her fishing one last time.

To Glenda, Jerry was more than a son.

He was her best friend.

Those who knew Jerry will remember his laugh, his stubborn determination, his love of racing and music, his fondness for a good poker game, and the pride he carried for his family. They will remember a man who never stopped building, never stopped helping, and never stopped showing up for the people he loved.

Long after the races are over, he will still be there in the sound of an engine coming to life, in music playing through the shop, in the glow of a work light after dark, in the laughter of family, and in the memory of a man who understood that the greatest wealth in life was never money.

It was love and time. And Jerry gave both freely.