Gerald R. Major

A visitation for Gerald will be held Tuesday, November 21, 2023 at 10:00 AM at Dutton Funeral Home, 300 E Cash St, Iowa Park, Texas 76367, followed by a chapel funeral service at 11:00 AM.

Gerald Ralph Major was born December 24, 1941, to Gerald and Florence Major in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. He is survived by his wife Dorthy of Keller, Texas, and his son Thomas Major and wife Robin, of Keller, Texas. Also surviving are three grandchildren, Dr Ryan Major and wife Sarah of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Kyle Major and wife Miranda of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Emelyn Whittington and husband Alex of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Gerald leaves behind seven great grandchildren, Corban, Hadassah, Devan, Lenorah, Rowan, Aralyn, and Miles. Surviving Gerald are also one brother, Thomas Major and wife Alice of Papillion, Nebraska, and four sisters, Florence(Sis) Bouchard and Ray of Owasso, Oklahoma, Judy Bennett and Carl of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and Dianne Smith and Susan Gardner, also of Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

Gerald was a very proud veteran of the U.S. Air Force from February 1960 until February 1964. He served in Texas, California, and Morocco, North Africa. He also participated in the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, where he was deployed to Turkey and Germany. The day President Kennedy announced to the world on TV that the U.S. was standing against Russia, Gerald's unit was already in the air flying out of California to a secret location. They were not told where they were being sent until they were in the air. They went to Turkey and then Germany for several weeks. This was October 23, 1962, and he could not tell his wife where he was.

He could only write letter to her and mail it when they were leaving for another location, and then say where he had been.

He showed up in Sacramento several days before Christmas, rang her doorbell and was standing on the porch with his duffel bag. She had no idea of where he was or when he was coming home.

When Gerald left the Air Force to return to civilian life, he started working for North American Aviation, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as a "tool and dye maker," working on the parts for the Apollo Missions. When that industry slowed down, he lost his job. He then went to work for AT&T in communications in Tulsa, Atlanta, and Dallas. He was a supervisor until his retirement in December, 1998.

Gerald loved to travel, and he and his wife Dorthy traveled all over the states in the US and Canada during those years.

After his retirement, they also traveled to Alaska, England, Germany, Switzerland, Russia, Poland, France, Italy, Estonia, and Denmark. He loved seeing all the places he had read about.

Gerald's hobby was gardening. He grew luscious red tomatoes in his garden and beautiful red roses in the yard. He loved visiting with neighbors. If his wife couldn't locate him, she would look and see him down the street in someone's driveway visiting.

Gerald was so very proud of his son Tom. When Tom was a baby, Gerald always wanted to take him with him, If it was to Sears for a tool or T.U. for a book, wherever he went. He liked to show off Tom and was always bragging to anyone within earshot of his son and grandchildren. I am sure many a doctor got their ear full whenever he had an appointment.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.duttonfuneralhome.com for the Major family.