Dear Jerry,

We all miss you so much!
Time has warped around these past five years since you left us.  I can't believe you've been gone so long and so far away. Today Ulf called to tell me that your
quirky Forestville home is surrounded by fires today. Mass evacuations around Santa Rosa and many parts of Sonoma County.
So many times my heart takes me back to your home and all the memories there.
I keep going, tho you're gone and now maybe it's gone too.
Love you always,

Susan 

So many great memories of Jerry's cooking!
Jerry was determined not to eat anything but the very best foods.

Sometimes he took cooking classes during his travels, bringing home just the best tastes of all the places he'd explored. 
Jerry was adventurous and so nurturing with his collection of friends and foods.
Each season there'd be a host of new treats to eat with him. 
If you were really fortunate, you were treated to his tasty gifts.

Remember his blackberry jam and smoked salmon?  

Jerry was the leader in our family. He was our story teller and photographer.

I remember Jerry leading every family celebration and taking photos of every event. 
He usually made every birthday cake, including his own, because he was the best cook in our family. 

We'd keep up the Christmas tree til after Jerry's birthday, so January 12th marked the real beginning of the new year.

Once he began his world travels, he'd plan his trips to be in a warm place on his birthday: India, Cuba, South America, and especially Puerto Vallarta.

I'd remember him on his birthday, as I did today, thinking of how happy he must be to be having a great adventure with his friends. Today we gathered to celebrate Jerry and remember how much we love him.

Blake Street is one of my favorite memories. I carry all the love for all of you in my heart.  I miss seeing Jerry, and of course, my dear Michael.  I know I will see your smiling faces again in the white light beyond.  I love and miss you, dear sweet Jerry. 

Blake Street is one of my favorite memories. I carry all the love for all of you in my heart.  I miss seeing Jerry, and of course, my dear Michael.  I know I will see your smiling faces again in the white light beyond.  I love and miss you, dear sweet Jerry. 

Hi All,   Well, it's October 8 again. I'm sure all of us remember exactly what we were doing last year at this time, and we probably always will.   Susan, I am so grateful that you scheduled our ashes trip for this past weekend. If it wasn't for that, I'm sure all of us would be feeling even sadder than we already are.   I think we all feel encouraged by Jerry's new spot and new view. Thank you for sending this beautiful picture of it. What a great spot, a great view, and a life well lived!   This is our portion in life, if we are very fortunate - to live a long and satisfying life, to have people we love lay us to rest when the time comes, and to be remembered with love, into the future.   Not many of us will also get such a fantastic view and such a great spot to be forever so free, with the sun shining, the cool fog billowing up from the ocean, and the sea breezes blowing over the city he loved.   What a privilege to have been part of that beautiful person's life, each in our own way. Jer is blessed, and we are, too.   Love always,   Nancy  

I have written poetry since I first learned to write.  One of the first questions Jerry asked me after we reunited was did I still rock when I read poetry.  I said I didn't know.  A few days later I had occasion to read a poem aloud to a small group of people and sure enough, I was rocking.  Jerry knew me better, perhaps, than I know myself.  At his memorial I recited most of the following poem by Dylan Thomas; leaving out one verse, but it has been a long time since I read it.  Here it is, in its entirety.

And death shall have no dominion.
Dead man naked they shall be one With the man in the wind and the west moon; When their bones are picked clean and the clean bones gone,
They shall have stars at elbow and foot;
Though they go mad they shall be sane,
Though they sink through the sea they shall rise again;
Though lovers be lost love shall not;
And death shall have no dominion.

And death shall have no dominion.
Under the windings of the sea
They lying long shall not die windily; Twisting on racks when sinews give way, Strapped to a wheel, yet they shall not break
; Faith in their hands shall snap in two,
And the unicorn evils run them through;
Split all ends up they shan't crack;
And death shall have no dominion.

And death shall have no dominion.
No more may gulls cry at their ears
Or waves break loud on the seashores; 
Where blew a flower may a flower no more
Lift its head to the blows of the rain;
Though they be mad and dead as nails,
Heads of the characters hammer through daisies;
Break in the sun till the sun breaks down,
And death shall have no dominion.      

I (Annette Oliveira) met Jerry in the late '70s through our mutual friend Terry Deklotz.  When my husband Haig and I got together in l982, he became Jerry's friend as well.

We'd get together at Dan Clark's in Jenner, in San Francisco at mutual friends' homes or in Forestville or in our place in Oakland.  We'd hike or walk together, share meals, play games, compare travel tales, process the ups and downs of our lives.

Our peak experience together occurred in the early '90s when Jerry, Haig and I traveled to Thailand together for three weeks. World-class tour guide that he was, Jerry found the perfect outfit to take us on a trek among the primitive hill tribes of the Golden Triangle.  He joked away my fears, chatted amiably during 12-mile slogs through hot, humid bamboo forests.  We passed hours playing endless multiple solitaire games.  He was the world's best travel companion and we treasure that experience as one of the best of our lives.

We so appreciated Jerry's humor, his compassion, his gentle smile, his mischievous laugh. We loved his frequent gifts of homemade jam.  We feel so lucky to have had him in our lives.  We will miss him terribly.

The best flight I ever had with Jerry from Mazatlan (Mex) to San Francisco.

Pilot, co-pilot and four hostesses for only 5 passengers!. It was the time when we didnt pay meals or snacks on charter airplanes!

The aircraft, seating about 200, filed off tourists and was on its way back to Portland with stop in San Francisco.

The hostesses offered us, served and served again at will, wine red and / or white, champagne, large range of spirits and snacks trays of smoked salmon, toast, crab, shrimp cocktail, finest salads etc. before the pastries, fine chocolates  and coffee until we gave up.

On the bus from San Francisco to Sonoma County Airport, very exhilarated we continue to laugh and finally exhausted, took a little nap.  We could still be amazed to evoke this memory 13 years later.  I had to share this story with you now and Jerry watching all your warm messages will smile in his moustache as the French say. Repose en paix mon Ami.

It was back in the late 80s when fate put Jerry and I on the same ferry crossing from Cancun (Mexico) to Isla Mujures.  We ate together that first night and went the seperate hotels we each rented for the night.  The next morning I met Jerry at The Perla where we both were seeking a room.  It was right on the water.  Tony (who has passed also) rented to both of us.  What we didn't realize was that he thought we were together so he rented us the same room.  We laughted and we quickly became good friends.  We traveled together on third class buses throughout the Yucatan  and on the way back the taxi we took blew a tire and rolled over.  Jerry hurt his back so once back on the island he packed up and left.  I stayed and that was the beginning of my love affair with Isla Mujeres (where all these years later I still go each year now for at least two months).  

Jerry and I continued our relationship all these years calling each other from time-to-time.  When in Philadelphia (where I live) he came to visit me.  It was so nice to see him again.  We only were together twice on Isla Mujeres (the second time was before he went to Cuba with his friend Jerry (and Jerry had his bag stolen and had to work out the difficult process of getting a passport to get out of the country).  The third time was in Philadelphia.  

As fate would have it, we met and became friends......I will miss hearing your voice and knowing that one day I would visit you in the place of the big tall trees.  I never did go there and for that I'm sorry.  I should have taken advantage of being there when and where he lived.  Now............ love you Jerry! 

Re-posting this for Ric Palomo:


I first met Jerry in 1984 at Sonoma Developmental Center. We were both Psych. Tech.s there with Jerry working 1/2 time and I working full time. The clients he worked with absolutely adored him as well as his co-workers. He always had the quirkiest sense of humor. He often had an amusing story to tell. It always puzzled me that he was able to take all these exotic trips while making half the salary that I did. I chalked it up to him making travel a priority and just knowing how to live.I know the last couple of months must have been rather difficult, however, with Jerry you'd hardly know it since he seemed to walk with such grace. He rarely complained and always was so darn appreciative to his family and friends. Like I said earlier, he just knew how to live. I will certainly miss him.    Ric

Oh, what memories we have from Blake Street.  All those blessed souls became family.  Bonds that live on still 40 years later. We grew mushrooms, baked and sold whole wheat bread, had tempura nights, loved and laughed, and so much more.  Those were the best times.  My love goes to all of you. 

Front row: Michael, Donna
Middle row: Lorraine, Laurie (Laggie), Neighbor ? and his dog, David
Top row: Tom with Sara(Jerry's dog), Rick, Tim, and sweet Jerry.
Not in photo: Julaine, Diane, Patrick