A public memorial service to celebrate his life will be held at Central Bible Church on Saturday, December 7, 2019 at 1:00 pm.
The church office is closed on Fridays, staff will be at the church after 11 am on Saturday for flower deliveries.
Jerome (Jerry) Duessel Winters was born on January 5, 1934 in Portland, Oregon to Gerould and Marjorie Winters. He passed away November 18, 2019 in Gresham, Oregon. Jerry grew up in Portland and graduated from Benson Polytechnic High School in 1952. He went on to study at Portland State University, then Oregon State University where he received a Bachelor Degree in Electrical Engineering in 1961. His college days were interrupted by a tour in the US Army where he spent time in Korea during the Korean War.
Following college, Jerry met Donna Mae Karlsen while working at Pacific Power & Light, and they were married soon after. Over the next eight years, they welcomed six children. Jerry worked many years as a manufacturer’s representative for commercial light fixtures and poles, traveling throughout Oregon but based in the Portland area. A downturn in the economy in the mid 1980s forced Jerry to look for work outside of the Pacific Northwest. Over the next 10 years, he lived in San Antonio, Texas, Austin, Texas and Silverdale, Washington with a brief temporary assignment on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. He wrapped up his career in 1996 and moved back home to Portland, Oregon.
Jerry had an outgoing personality and a zest for adventure. While he was growing up, he loved spending time at the family cabin near Rhododendron, Oregon where he could hike, fish, ski, and enjoy the outdoors. He climbed Mt Hood with the Mazamas and even took flying lessons to achieve his pilot’s license for small planes. During high school and college, he was a social butterfly and often organized socials and dances, complete with dance cards ready to be filled up. He was instrumental in organizing a 50 year class reunion for the students from Laurelhurst Grammar School which more than 50% of his classmates attended.
Jerry was a devoted follower of Jesus Christ and a long time member of Central Bible Church. He also was part of various Kiwanis clubs for many years where he enjoyed working on local service projects. As a fifth generation Oregonian, he was fascinated with genealogy and did extensive research in his family tree.
Jerry was an avid fan of Oregon State (football, basketball and baseball) and Trail Blazer basketball but also loved watching his grandchildren participate in sports as well. He loved to go camping and boating and was proud to say that he taught all of his children how to waterski. When he was no longer able to waterski himself, he continued to go tubing since he enjoyed being out on the water so much.
Jerry is preceded in death by his wife Donna; his parents Gerould and Marjorie; and his sister Laura Kvinge.
Jerry is survived by his children Shelby Staffenson (Tanney), Stafford Winters (Margaret), Stanford Winters (Kim), Sherilee Winters, Shauna Smith (Steve), and Shannon Winters. He is also survived by his 11 grandchildren: Jessica, Kaila (Josh), Andrew, Austin, Christianna, Zachary (Missy), Miranda, Melanie, Sam, Sydney and Stephanie.
Burial with military honors will be at Willamette National Cemetery on Friday, November 22, 2019 at 10:45 am.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18