Jerome Warner served continuously and effectively in the Nebraska Legislature beginning in 1962. Throughout his legislative career, he actively supported agriculture and education at all levels. He and his brother Charles operated a livestock and grain farm with registered Hereford cattle as a major enterprise. Jerome was also director of Lincoln Mutual Life Insurance Company.
I know it is going to be difficult in the time allotted to adequately cover the life, the activities, and the contributions of the man we are honoring tonight, Senator Jerome Warner. As we attempt to look, without flattery, at his work, his accomplishments and his service to his community, to our state of Nebraska and even beyond, it will need to be said that Senator Jerome Warner has earned the right to be recognized as one of Nebraska's most outstanding young men.
Senator Warner is married to the former Betty Person, known and greatly respected by those of us who know her as Betty. Jerry met his wife, Betty, when he was first elected to the Legislature. At that time, she was covering the capitol as a reporter for the Lincoln Star. She quit that newspaper in 1965 to work for the Legislature and was a researcher for a highway study committee on which Senator Warner served. They were married in 1970. Jerry and Betty have two children by Betty's former marriage . . . Jamie, a son, and Elizabeth, a daughter. Elizabeth continues to help on the farm and Jamie is the budget officer for the City of Lincoln. The Warner's have one grandchild, Jamie's son, Drew Christopher.
After graduation from the University of Nebraska, it was back to the farm. Jerry and his brother, Charles, operate the Warner Hereford Farms Inc. of Waverly, headquartered four miles southwest of Waverly. The farm itself, consisting of over 2000 acres plus some rented land, has an interesting history and is known to have originated at the close of the Civil War through land grants afforded Union army officers. The homestead site was settled by the late C.J. Warner's aunt's family. Since it is located in a predominantly farming area, the operation combines crop production, the breeding of Registered Herefords, Registered Polled Herefords, and feeding out cattle.
Credit for the Warners getting into the Hereford business really belongs to the late Mrs. Charles J. Warner, mother of Charles and Jerry. In 1926, Mrs. Warner persuaded her husband to switch from mixed breed cattle to the raising of Herefords which, in the 20's, consistently commanded a $2.00 premium per hundred because of their outstanding feeding qualities.
The foundation herd of Warner Herefords was 100 Anxiety 4th bred cows purchased from Mrs. William Braddock of Chadron, Nebraska. The original intent was to use these foundation cows as a top commercial herd. It was believed the job of maintaining records and registering the herd would require more time than was available on a busy farm. The turning point in retaining the foundation cows as a registered herd came from a purebred breeder who offered a premium price for all the foundation herd cows carrying Lady Elect breeding. The Warner early herd sires came from many outstanding herds, the Otto Fulscher and Fred DeBerard herds, to name two.
Two carloads of bulls sold at the 1929 National Western confirmed the soundness of the decision to retain the foundation herd for breeding registered Herefords. These two carloads of bulls more than paid for the original cost of the 100 foundation cows. During the challenging times of the 30's, the Warner herd was kept intact by trailing them to Valley, Nebraska, for feed. Starting in 1930 and continuing to 1955, Warner bred Herefords were exhibited at the Nebraska State Fair. In this two and one-half decades, Warners offered nearly 100 bulls each year for sales – many of which were shipped in carloads to western ranches.
Since 1955, Warners have limited their showing and sales offerings to the extreme top end. At the Old Reliable and Southeast Nebraska Hereford Shows and Sales, this limited show and sale offering has been rewarding with 35 group or championship trophies.
Management of the Registered Hereford and Registered Polled Hereford operation has been the prime responsibility of Charles L. Warner since he was 16 years old. Jerome Warner's interest in the Warner Farm has been more involved in the crop production of the farm operation.
At this point, I would like to mention a few of the activities of Jerry's brother, Charles. Charles' interest in all phases of Hereford and Polled Hereford production and association with other Hereford breeders, has been marked with a very active involvement in many Hereford associations, and recognition has come from those and other livestock groups for his extraordinary interest in the cattle business. Charles is a past president of the Nebraska Hereford Association, the Southeast Nebraska Hereford Association, the Old Reliable Hereford Association, and Grasslands Livestock Show.
In spite of the time spent with Legislative work, Senator Warner is no stranger on the end of an irrigation shovel or out in the feed lot or looking over the purebred herd of Hereford cattle. Senator Warner told me that from childhood, he has always taken an interest in livestock and farming. He was a member of his local 4-H Club from the age of 10 until he enrolled at the University of Nebraska. He also participated in FFA activities, showing livestock at county and state fairs. Jerry told me that even as a young boy, he felt strongly that he would someday file for the Nebraska Legislature. He says, two topics for discussion at the breakfast table were Hereford cattle and politics . . . perhaps better said as interest in public service. This was probably due to the many years of public service carried on by his father, the late Charles Warner, who served three terms in the Legislature's House of Representatives, starting in the year of 1900, then served in the State Senate from 1917 to 1937. During that time, he served as Speaker of the first one-house Legislature in 1937. The senior Warner was elected Lt. Governor in 1948 and passed away while in office in the year of 1955.
True to his earlier convictions, Senator Warner did file for the Nebraska Legislature in 1962 and was elected. In his years in the Nebraska Legislature, Jerry served as Vice Chairman of the Education Committee from 1963-65; as Chairman of the Legislative Council Executive Board, 1967-69; then Speaker of the Legislature from 1969-71; and back to the Education Committee as Chairman from 1973-75. His last chairmanship is that of the Appropriations Committee where he has served from 1977-1986. The Appropriations committee is recognized by all as being one of the most important committees functioning at the Legislative level. He has served as a State Legislator now for 24 years and has served with distinction and with honor. His leadership in the body has been and is appreciated by all who have ever served with him.
If any other Senator ever introduced a bill, it was always hoped by that Senator that Jerry would be "on their side." If not, that bill or any amendment to it, was in for some real difficulty.
Senator Warner is not known to be one who asked for the floor and speaks on every issue that comes before the Legislative body. But when does rise to his feet, and begins to tap on the mike at his desk, everyone begins to listen. Before he has spoken very long, you have assurance that he knows what he is talking about, and that he has done his homework well and is able to back up his statements with facts and figures if necessary. His mood is not always the same. When he begins to turn his eyes upward toward the ceiling, you can be sure that he is preparing a heavy barrage of words, sometimes mixed with a bit of anger and a strong determination to make an important point. On the other hand, if one is sitting nearby, you can see a twinkle in his eyes, and you will immediately know that will come forth with a bit of humor or with some catchy phrase such as "if it works, don't fix it." Typical of Senator Warner is the following, taken from a newspaper clipping. In response to a reporter's question of "What's going on?", and Senator replied, "I don't know. Let's ask Warner. If anybody knows what's going on he does." To which Warner replied, "Don't ask me. All I do is figure out which way the Legislature is going, then jump out in front so I look like a leader." However, most will agree, that when Senator Warner speaks, he does so the authority, backed up by much study and much careful thought.
Senator Warner is well known, not only for his activities in the Nebraska Legislature, but his contributions to his community and the State of Nebraska in the way of public service which includes: Past Chairman of the Lancaster County for Reorganization of School Districts; Past Director of Lancaster County Extension Board; member for over 17 years of the Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Commission. He was a former treasurer of the Lancaster County Agriculture Society and has served and is still serving on the Board of Directors of the Nebraska State Fair. Jerry and Betty are members of the Bethlehem Covenant Church of Waverly.
To summarize the life of Senator Jerome Warner, it would again need to be said with emphasis, that Jerry has earned the right to be recognized as one of Nebraska's most outstanding young men. Because of his dedication to public service, the Omaha World Herald chose Senator Warner as the 1985 Midlands Man of the Year. The Midlands Magazine of January 5, 1986, carried a featured article on the life and activities of the Senator. In this feature article, a number of Nebraska's leadership paid tribute to Jerry, the man who we are honoring tonight. If someone would have taken the time to clip out all the newspaper articles, all the editorials and placed them in a scrapbook, it would be a volume of considerable size. The history of Nebraska, some yet unwritten, will not be complete without seeing page after page mentioning the name of State Senator Jerome Warner. It could well be that some time in the future, school children visiting the Nebraska State Capitol, would see the picture of Jerome Warner hanging in one of the Capitol's halls as one of Nebraska's governors . . . or some day it could well be that Senator Warner's name would stand strong and tall in the halls of congress or in the United States Senate . . . who knows?
Jerry, I have appreciated the opportunity to make their presentation on behalf of the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement. I am sure that I speak for everyone here in offering our congratulations on your selection as the 1986 honoree.
