Moved to Southern, Calif when a yr old.
Graduated from Inglewood High School 1956
Worked at Northrop Corp as an airplane template maker until he received greetings from Uncle Sam sometime in 1960 and then enlisted in the U S Air Force until 1964. He attended Minnesota Bible College where he met his wife Michele. They married in 1968 and Jerry graduated from Minnesota Bible College with a Batchelor Degree of Sacred Literature in June of 1970. Upon graduating they along with 6 mo old daughter Debbie moved in with his folks in Fountain Valley Calif where he directed his search for a church to pastor. Three months later he received the call to pastor Westfield Christian Church in Porterville, CA. In the three years he was there the addition of several classrooms was added as well as an addition to the family in the form of a son Steven. They then received a call to pastor a church in Atascadero, CA. Having outgrown a small church building, a plot of land was purchased and a much bigger church building built under his leadership. After six years, they moved to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan to live with Michele’s mom for three months while securing another church. They served a somewhat new very small church plant for 8 months in Oscoda, MI which unfortunately did not continue as the two main families in the church were military and mustering out. That church plant was restarted in a larger city farther north at his suggestion.
After a short stint with family in Mesa, AZ, their next church was in Durango, Colorado where after six years Jerry left the ministry due to health concerns. The family moved to Mesa where he worked in security for SRP and then American Express. Following that he worked as a greeter for Walmart for 13 years. Jerry passed away June 3, 2022 in San Tan, Az following a long battle with dementia.
Jerry is survived by his wife of 54 years Michele, his daughter Debbie of Hinesville, GA and Son Steve (Angela)of Mesa, Az. Granddaughters Michaela (Tyler) Pruitt of Hinesville, Ga, and Kalyssa (Justin) Hill of Elkhart, Indiana. Great grandchildren Mason, Kinsley, Reed and Isla Pruitt of Hinesville, GA. Grandsons Tyler (Kristen) and Erik Williamson (Baileigh). Tyler has two children, Mason and Eleanor. He is also survived by his sister Linda Shipley her grown children David (Jenny) Michael, and Joanne Barrett, several great nieces and nephews.
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