Jerold L. Ocheltree

He lived in Nipinnawasee, California, a small town between Oakhurst and Mariposa on California State Route 49 (The Golden Chain Highway).

He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Janice Virginia (Toner) Ocheltree. They were married March 18, 1951, in Madera, CA.

Visitation will be held at Stephens & Bean Funeral Chapel on Friday, August 4, 2017 from 2:00p.m.- 7:00 p.m.

Funeral Services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, August 5, 2017, at Stephens & Bean Funeral Chapel, 202 N. Teilman, Fresno, 93706. Interment will be at Belmont Memorial Park in Fresno.

Jerold was born in Long Beach, California to Paul and Hazel Ocheltree. He is survived by his wife, Janice, four children, Gayle Ocheltree of Burbank, CA; Marilyn Moore and her husband, Charles Moore of Yuba City, CA; Steven Ocheltree and his wife, Carolyn Ocheltree of Fresno, CA; and Larry Ocheltree and his wife Renee Ocheltree of Huntersville, NC; 12 grandchildren: Blair Hughes, Patricia Lewis Tate, Michelle Renee (Ocheltree) Larsen, Phillip Telemachus Ocheltree, Jason Scott Moore, Michael Steven Ocheltree, Joshua Aaron Moore, Peter Alan Ocheltree, Trevor Raben Wilkins, Paul Jonathan Ocheltree, Andrew Steven Ocheltree and Samuel Caleb Ocheltree; 11 great-grandchildren and one on the way: Koen Hughes, Evelyn Hughes, Haakon Hughes, Charlotte Tate, Everett Hughes, Madison Larsen, Arya Ocheltree, Felicity Tate, Daphne Ocheltree, Sybil Hughes, Theodore Tate.

Jerold lived in Long Beach, CA, Los Molinos, CA, Madera, CA, Fresno, CA, and Nipinnawasee, CA.

He attended Lincoln Elementary School in Madera and graduated from Madera High School in 1947. He attended college in Fresno, CA.

He worked in Diversified Farming in Madera & Fresno, Cattle Ranching in Burrough Valley in the Sierra Nevada foothills, Distribution for O’s Gold Seed Company (training farmers to sell seed to their neighbors), and insurance for New York Life. He also held a license in real estate sales.

Jerold was active on the board for Youth for Christ and helped found YFC in Fresno. He actively worked in local church congregations.

Memorial Donations can be made to Fresno Rescue Mission or Tree Of Life Café & Bakery, both working to help men and women overcome drug & alcohol addiction and maintain a clean and sober lifestyle.

Fresno Rescue Mission

310 G St.

Fresno, CA 93706

www.fresnorm.org

559-268-0839

Tree of Life Café & Bakery

2139 Kern St.

Fresno, CA 93721

www.treeoflifefresno.com

559-663-7776

Jerold Ocheltree was a “man of prayer”. He was fully convinced of his Christian faith and dedication to the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God.

He surrendered his heart to Jesus while walking in the potato field on his farm. His life and his outlook were completely changed. His wish was that all his children and grandchildren could have the same experience that he had out in the potato field years ago. (Forgiveness of the past-new life for the present & hope for the future.)

He was always faithful to his wife, Janice, and loyal to his children and grandchildren. One thing he liked to do was to tell Janice that he loved her and that she was such a fine person that she deserved a good man like him—and she believed it!

He was an excellent father, he took his family boating, skiing, horseback riding and swimming. He taught them honesty and hard work. His children never doubted his complete love and care for them. If they needed correction, he always had time to sit with them and explain the error of their ways and suggest a better plan of action and then pray with them. Some of the children would say, “Why doesn’t he just give me a spanking and be done with it?”

His favorite Scripture:

Ephesians 2:8,9

“For by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast.”

A poem he wrote and shared with each of his grandchildren:

DON’T OVERCORRECT

Remember that as you make changes in life,

Do not overcorrect.

Save that which is good,

From whatever source;

From a church, a school, a friend, parents, etc.

Let these things,

Which are worthwhile,

Shape and mold your character,

So that God will be pleased.

You will be too.

Jerold had a daily set of exercises. Each morning he did his routine, reciting each of these four verses with each of the four exercise sets:

John 3:3-5

“In reply Jesus declared, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’ ‘How can a man be born when he is old?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the spirit.”

Ephesians 2:8-9

“For by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Romans 6:23

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Arrangements under the direction of Stephens & Bean Funeral Chapel, Fresno, CA.