Eighth Generation

162. Louis Jerome (Jerry) DEJACO¹⁷⁸ was born on March 20, 1917 in Newport, Kentucky at 330 Hodge Street. In 1931, he graduated from St. Stephen School in Newport, Kentucky. In 1936, he graduated from Covington Latin School in Covington, Kentucky. In 1939, he graduated from Ohio Mechanics Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio. He pursued the fields of drawing, layout, and advertising.

He served in the military between September 8, 1941 and June 7, 1945 in the United States Army Air Corps. He graduated from the United States Army Air Corps Training Center at Stockton Field, California, and received his diploma on June 18,1943, after completion of the airplane pilot course. He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant on June 22,1943, and was assigned to the European front during World War II as a B-17F bomber pilot. On December 31,1943, his aircraft crashed during a training mission in Florida. It is said that he was rescued by his co-pilot from the wreckage; they were the only survivors. He spent several years in various military hospitals recovering from his injuries. He lived at 844 Racquet Club Road in Palm Springs CA between 1969 and 1983. Other places of residency included Palm Beach, Florida, and Guadalajara, Mexico.

He died on March 12, 1983 in Palm Springs, Riverside County, California. From an article in The Desert Sun: HEART ATTACK CLAIMS LONGTIME SUN EMPLOYEE - JEROME "JERRY" LOUIS DEJACO, a member of The Desert Sun retail advertising staff since 1969, died early Saturday at his home after suffering a heart attack. He was 65. Private family services are scheduled. DeJaco was stricken about 6:30 P.M. Saturday shortly after he entered the bathroom of his home in the 800 block of East Racquet Club Road, according to his wife. Born March 20, 1917, in Kentucky, DeJaco was educated in various parts of that state. He later attended the Ohio Mechanics Institute and the Cincinnati Art Academy, graduating in 1939. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps as a pilot of a B-17 bomber in World War II, stationed in England. After an honorable discharge, he settled in Palm Beach, Florida. where he opened his own advertising agency in 1947. He operated that business for 13 years. In 1964, DeJaco joined the Desert Sun as a retail advertising representative. A year later he moved to Guadalajara, Mexico, where he met and married his wife, Graciela. He remained in Guadalajara four years, serving as assistant director of the Berlitz School of Languages. He returned to the United States and The Desert Sun retail advertising department in October, 1969. His sales territory included the Desert Inn Fashion Plaza and South Palm Canyon Drive. Through the years DeJaco actively pursued his three favorite hobbies: art, music, and gardening. He played the piano and organ, and meticulously worked weekends in his garden of fruit trees, roses, strawberries, and flowers of many types. He was a member of the Retired Officers Association, Reserve Officers Association, and the Disabled American Veterans Association. He is survived by his wife, Graciela, of Palm Springs and six children, Jerry Frederick DeJaco and Johnny DeJaco, both of San Diego; Sandy Smith of Houston, Texas; Terri Green and Rusty Fleming, both of Mississippi; and Ronnie Fleming of Elgin Air Force Base, Florida. Name: Jerome De Jaco, Last Residence: 92262 Palm Springs, Riverside, California, United States, Born: 20 Mar 1917, Last Benefit: 92262 Palm Springs, Riverside, California, United States, Died: Mar 1983, State (Year) SSN issued: Ohio (Before 1951).

Louis Jerome (Jerry) DEJACO and Carolyn Love CRAFT were married in 1944 in Duval County, Florida. They were divorced in June 1960 in Palm Beach County, Florida.
Carolyn Love CRAFT (daughter of Fred Love CRAFT and Ruby Mae CHAMBLESS) was born on October 6, 1920 in Ackerman, Mississippi. She died on March 8, 1973 in West, Attala County, Mississippi. She was buried in Springdale Cemetery, Attala County, Mississippi.

Louis Jerome (Jerry) DEJACO and Carolyn Love CRAFT had the following children:

+230	i.	Sandra Love (Sandi) FLEMING (DEJACO).
+231	ii.	Jerome Lewis (Romey) FLEMING (DEJACO).
+232	iii.	John Frederick (Rusty) FLEMING (DEJACO).
+233	iv.	Theresa Ann (Terri) FLEMING (DEJACO).

Louis Jerome (Jerry) DEJACO and Graciela (Gracie) MARTINEZ FRANCO were married on September 16, 1960 in Guadalajara, Mexico, at the Templo Expectorio.
Graciela (Gracie) MARTINEZ FRANCO was born on May 28, 1942. She died on July 9, 2008. From her obituary published in the San Diego Union-Tribune on 7/20/2008: DeJACO, GRACIELA - May 28, 1942 to July 9, 2008 - Only one word is required to describe Gracie, LOVE. Love of life, friends, her husband, two sons and their wives, and especially love of her three granddaughters. Gracie loved dancing, singing (mostly out of tune), many hobbies, and spending time with loved ones. Today she rejoins her husband, Jerry, surely dancing among the heavens, and once again embracing her granddaughter, Cassandra. We'll miss you, Mom and Grandma! Louis Jerome (Jerry) DEJACO and Graciela (Gracie) MARTINEZ FRANCO had the following children:

+234	i.	Jerome F. DEJACO.
+235	ii.	John Fred DEJACO.