Jerry R. Parr

It is through tears and with a broken heart I announce the passing of my husband Jerry. We celebrated our 42nd anniversary this past June. He entered the presence of Jesus Christ because he believed the promise of John 3:16.

His life encompassed the spectrum of simple to the poetic. As an only child on a 40-acre farm, his companions were his books, and a collie named King. He attended a one-room schoolhouse up to the 6th grade and at times there were only 2 students in his grade. He went to a city high school where he ran cross-country and played football. After high school, at his dad’s urging, he went to GMI for a year and decided engineering was not for him and transferred to MSU where he majored in Geology and earned a Masters in Urban Planning. During his college years he boarded a freighter headed for Asia and by happenstance was able to attend the 1964 Olympics in Japan. Another summer took him to England and the Nordic countries where his interest in urban planning was piqued. This was where he also developed an interest in Scandinavian cooking.

While at MSU he was a student employee at the MSU bookstore in the International Center, and the rest was history. He ended up spending 40 years building relationships with faculty and ordering their textbooks. This position dovetailed with his love of reading which included classic mysteries, World War 2 history, cookbooks, trains, and Michigan history.

Many of his interests are displayed in his 3 children. Eric shares his love of reading and history. Kyle has his love of college football and basketball along with World War II History, while Heidi has his love of reading and theological inquiry. He was always involved in his kid’s activities, whether it was unloading hay bales for a horse show Heidi was in, keeping stats for a sporting event Kyle was participating in, or scouring used bookstores with Eric.

In his free time, he liked to read and work on his model train layout. He loved to watch freighters and sunsets on Lake Michigan while at the Homestead, one of his favorite vacation spots. In recent summers he enjoyed a new hobby, strawbale gardening where he grew tomatoes.

Jerry was a “secret blesser”. He liked to do things for others anonymously so as not to draw attention to himself. During retirement he spent many hours researching theological issues such as “intelligent design” and “assurance of salvation”. He was concerned for those who did not have a relationship with Christ and sought winsome ways to engage them in conversations that would provoke curiosity.

He always made sure I felt loved. Our courtship was one of poetry, romantic gestures and soulful sharing. Because of his courtly behavior he acquired the nickname “Esquire” among our other dating friends. These expressions were constant throughout our marriage as recently as my last birthday when he made that classic proposal dish “Marry Me Chicken”. His last act of affection was a demonstration of his continued courtly demeanor, he took his left hand which was restrained and which I was holding and lifted it to his lips (confined by a breathing tube) to kiss it. I am forever changed and blessed by his magnificent love for me.

Love you always My Sweetheart,

Your Lady