Gerald Henry Cohn

Jerry was predeceased by his first wife, Carlene, of 41 years; his parents, Sam and Inga; and his brother, Robert.

He is survived and dearly missed by his loving wife of 12 years, Joyce; his children, Mike and Debbie, and their spouses, Laura and Rod. Jerry will be forever remembered and cherished by his grandchildren, Matthew, Michael, Savannah, and Delaney; his niece, Pia; and his nephew, Brian.

Jerry was born in San Francisco, where he lived briefly before spending the rest of his childhood in San Carlos, California. He attended Oregon State University and, shortly after graduation, began a 32-year career with Sears, Roebuck, retiring in 1993. Jerry met his first wife, Carlene, on a blind date in Lake Arrowhead. They married in 1961 and raised their two children in Orange County.

He was a very active and involved grandfather, taking his family on vacations, hosting family holidays, teaching his grandsons to fish, and sharing his wisdom on saving and investing.

Later in life, Jerry moved to Indio, where he met Joyce. They married in 2013 in Yuba City, California — a place they loved to visit — and enjoyed splitting their time between Indio and Fish Hawk Lake, Oregon.

Jerry enjoyed a full and active life. He loved playing cards, traveling, reading, cheering on his favorite football teams, and especially playing pickleball. An early enthusiast of the sport, Jerry introduced pickleball to many of his neighbors in both of his communities. His passion and leadership were instrumental in establishing local pickleball courts, and he will be fondly remembered for his energy, good humor, and dedication to the game. He took great joy in watching the game grow and in welcoming new players to the court.

Jerry was well-liked by all who knew him. He had an easy smile, a generous heart, and was always ready to lend a helping hand, especially on home repair projects.

There are no words to express our sorrow at his passing or our gratitude for the years we shared with him