Gerald "Jerry" Johannes Carlson

Preceded in death by his father and mother, Edward & Bertha Carlson; eldest brother and sister-in-law, Ralph & Carol Carlson; and middle brother, Jim Carlson.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Barbara Carlson; sister-in-law, Karon Carlson; eldest son, Luke and his wife, Kathy Carlson and their daughters, Brianna (26) and Madeline (24); youngest son, Bart and his wife, Stacy Carlson and their sons, Ty (17) and Jase (15).

He will be buried at the San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery, Santa Nella, CA in a private ceremony on Thursday, July 1, 2021.

A Celebration of Life for Jerry will be held Saturday, July 10, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at People's Church, 7172 North Cedar Avenue, Fresno, CA 93720

Jerry was born in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where his love of the woods and fishing were instilled into his very soul. During his school years, his family moved 17 times across many states. He ended up in Phoenix, AZ attending Phoenix Junior College where he met the love of his life, Barbara Wallace. He was drafted into the Army while they were engaged. Jerry and Barbara were married in May of 1967 after his initial training. He was trained as a dog handler for the Military Police in Colorado Springs before he and his dog, Boots, were flown to Vietnam where he served our country in An Khe and Pleiku, Vietnam. After returning from Vietnam, he took advantage of his GI bill and attended college at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, AZ. While he was in Flagstaff and attending college, he also worked as a deputy sheriff for Coconino County. While he and Barbara were there, both Luke and Bart were born. He was offered a position with the Treasury Department to work as a criminal investigator and could choose to move to Los Angeles, San Francisco, or Fresno. He chose Fresno and moved the family to Central California in 1971. They lived in four different homes between 1971 and 2021, but they were all within a 10 mile radius.

Jerry accepted Jesus Christ as his savior when he was 12 years old. After moving to the Fresno/Clovis area he and Barbara attended Northeast Assembly of God, People’s Church, Valley Christian Center, and then returned to People’s church, where he attended until he passed. Jerry had an insatiable desire to serve people. He served in leadership and teaching roles at every church he attended. Additionally, he was the city coordinator for Crown Financial Ministries and started a Christian Investigators Association. He and Barbara had a big heart for Teen Challenge in Reedley, where they actively volunteered together until his passing.

Jerry went to the woods for his rejuvenation. He found great pleasure in being in the pine trees at a lake, holding a fishing rod and watching for wildlife. Whether he caught fish or not, he was happy there. His hobbies included camping, fishing, and working with wood. He enjoyed being creative with wood-related projects and joined a wood carvers’ group. He particularly enjoyed giving his creations as gifts to friends and family. His creativity was even recognized by the U.S. Treasury Department when they accepted his submission for the first seal for the Internal Security Division.

He will be missed greatly by all who knew him. He was the kind of man that made others feel seen, listened to, and you knew that you mattered when you were with him. He would do anything possible to help someone out. His mission was to let people know these three things: Jesus loved them and offered them eternal life. They could be filled with the Holy Spirit and experience real power in their lives. Lastly, they could count on Jerry to do anything he could to help them, whether it was a spiritual matter or a physical need.

We are blessed to have known him, to have been his family and friends, and to know that he is experiencing the glorious presence of Jesus Christ while we grieve his passing.

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