Gordon Jerry Nitsch

Gordon was born in Boelus, Nebraska to Rudolph and Eunice (Young) Nitsch. In 1937, the family moved to California and settled in Cutten. He attended the local grade and high school, where he was active in the band program playing a trombone. It was in high school where he met the love of his life, Janet Still.

Gordon and Janet sat next to each other in band and he would play her part when there was a test so that she could pass that part of band class. They would both hold up their instruments at the same time, Gordon would play and Janet would just pretend.

He graduated from high school in 1952. In 1954, he and Janet were married and they moved into a small home in Cutten that Gordon and his father built.

From age 4, he told everybody that he wanted to be a truck driver. His first job was for Precision Lumber company as a truck driver. In 1958 he was drafted and entered the US Army. After basic training he was sent by ship to serve in Germany-

Speaking of ships, he disliked the voyage so much that he very rarely even set foot on a small boat let alone a large ship. Janet followed soon after and they spent his entire enlistment in Germany traveling the continent, when he could take time off from his duties. After they returned from Germany and he was released from the Army, he began working for Precision Lumber company again.

Soon after the birth of their first son Gerald in 1960, he was given the opportunity to move to Coalinga, California to oversee the company’s trucking interest in hauling asbestos ore from the local mines to the mills in the nearby mountains. Their second son Ronald was born in 1964 in Coalinga.

After the mining closed up in the early 1980s and after 33 years with Precision Lumber company, he went to work for the local oil field contractor, Bud’s Equipment, as a truck driver. In 1989, he lost Janet to cancer. He worked at Bud's until his retirement.

In retirement, he enjoyed working in his yard, visiting with close friends, and times spent with family. He was always good company and he was always willing to listen to any problems and give us some advice if he thought that it would help. Gordon was full of fun and a wonderful storyteller, the memories he talked about were full of laughter and there was always a twinkle in his eyes when he told those stories. He will be missed.

He is survived by his brother Doug (Douglas), sister-in-law Doris, Sons Gerald (Jerry) and Ron(ald) Nitsch, daughter-in-law Andrea, grandchildren Lauren and Andrew, and nieces Barbara Valdriz and Sue Bradbury.

Graveside service will be held at Ocean View Cemetery in Eureka, California on June 10, 2024 at 1:30 pm.