Gerald "Jerry" Sehlke

Gerald “Jerry” Sehlke died on Tuesday, April 12, 2023 after a valiant and successful fight with mantle cell lymphoma and an unbeatable respiratory infection. Jerry spent his final days looking out at his beloved Puget Sound, surrounded by the love of his family near and far.

Jerry was born in Detroit, Michigan, on January 16, 1957 to Betty Leticia Sehlke (né Searles) and Oscar “Tex” Sehlke. Brother to Laura, Robert, and Sandra, Jerry took his role as middle child seriously by uniting the siblings in adventures–and the occasional shenanigans with his cousins at the family cottage. He and his family moved to Silvana, WA near the Stillaguamish River in the early 70’s and there he found his happy place. Jerry followed his beloved, one-year-exactly older brother into military service, serving on active duty in the U.S. Army Security Agency followed by additional service in the U.S. Army Reserve. Jerry’s time in the army resulted in a close-knit group of Second Ops friends, an impressive grasp of German beer hall drinking songs, and a love of traveling to historic cities to meet interesting people.

Jerry met Lisa Venables while attending Washington State University in 1981, married in 1986 and established an amazing family. Family was essential to Jerry and he made time to be present, taking afternoons to coach soccer and attend track meets, cook and plan family dinners, and be around for bed times. He was the best Papa. Jerry spent most of his adulthood in Idaho Falls, Idaho with his wife, Lisa Sehlke, and their three daughters, Mackenzie, Madison, and Zoe. This fivesome–known affectionately and infamously as The Sehlkes–spent their time together exploring the world, trying everything at least once, approaching questions or challenges with curiosity, humor, kindness, and an open mind; never littering, and ever learning new things (memorably including beekeeping). He valued education and always took time to explain things, instilling in his girls to always ask questions, especially the hard ones and hold space for the complexity of an answer or the simplicity of an “I don’t know.”

Jerry loved to plan long road trips, pulling out the atlas and weighing out every possible route to his destinations, ensuring to always take the back roads and the paths less traveled if possible, and making time to pull over to jump in hot springs, take photos, run through fields of flowers, and savoring the geographic phenomenons. He was quick to sing songs at the top of his lungs, be the first on a dance floor, and quick to laugh and forgive. Jerry’s zest and passion for life exuded.

Jerry had a legendary gift with people, often returning from routine errands or travel with new friends, connections, and stories to tell. He was genuinely, deeply interested in everyone. Alongside Lisa, his partner in everything and wife of 37 years, Jerry kept the porch light on, the kitchen table full, and welcomed all to gather for a chat or spirited debate. Jerry built a vast network of lifelong friends, Army and drinking buddies, professional colleagues, and co-conspirators of all sorts. During his career and in retirement, Jerry found time to volunteer for a myriad of causes, including Trout Unlimited, Idaho Rivers United, American Water Resources Association, Habitat for Humanity, the Idaho Falls Community Garden, and Idaho Falls Sisters Cities program. He was a hub at the center of so many spokes.

Jerry was also a passionate student of the natural world and a scientist at heart. Jerry earned a B.S. in Biology from Washington State University in 1984, an M.S. in entomology from Washington State University in 1986, an M.S. in hydrology from the University of Idaho in 2000, and a Ph.D. in water resources law, management and policy from the University of Idaho in 2016. Jerry’s career achievements included +25 years at the Idaho National Laboratory and the Naval Nuclear Laboratory, time spent as a legislative affairs fellow for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and the continuation of his academic career serving as an adjunct professor at Utah State University and as an affiliate researcher for the Energy Policy Institute at Boise State University. Our “water guy” always knew the most up-to-date climate change research, the Latin names of local plants and insects, and the hydrology of the Snake River Valley. Jerry was a gifted academic, a passionate educator, and mentor to countless students. His expertise, insight, and rigor of thought will live on in his students, mentees, and peers.

Jerry retired for the second time in 2017 and, true to his character, went straight back to work on his own personal projects. He delighted in researching and documenting his family genealogy, corresponding with far flung cousins, minor municipal bureaucrats and combing archives gathering stories. Jerry loved being outside with equal enthusiasm. He also spent countless hours restoring his family farm, enjoying the beauty of the Pacific NorthWest.

He is survived by his wife Lisa, his daughters Mackenzie (Tim Hellickson), Madison, and Zoe, his siblings Laura and Robert (Patricia), sibling-at-heart Bob Clark and step mother Betty J. (Matzke-Liden) Sehlke.

A celebration of life will be held in Jerry’s honor at a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Habitat for Humanity Idaho Falls.