I will always love you Dad. I wish we could have had more time together. Tell Mom hello for me; she is probably asking what took you so long to get there.

I always loved you and will miss you forever. I know you and granny are dancing. Love you grandpa :) reece

I love you, Jerry. You were so good to me: never yelled, never hit, never argued. The perfect Big Brother. 
-----Jerry was the perfect babysitter. When mom worked pm shift he would put me up on his shoulders and tell me to steer to Monkey Island at Como Zoo, St. Paul. (We lived a block or two away.) I would pull his ears this way and that for turns and stops. How we would laugh at those marvelous monkeys in the middle of the moat. 
    Jerry taught me all the pieces of a car engine and what they meant. He showed me how to dig an underground 'cave-room' in the hard clay at the Lake. He taught me how to make awesome vibrating tunes when he pulled me in the wagon over the stone road at the Lake.
----We shared in our love of dogs. Rocky was the best dog ever that would meet us on Fridays when we arrived at the cabin for a weekend stay. 
  Jerry loved music, especially soundtracks and great blue grass ---of course!--- and southern rock, eg. ZZ Top. He read everything on the Civil War. An area of study that meant a great deal to him. Gardening, carpentry and photography were all loves.
---Jerry built an addition on his home for his beloved mom-in-law, MeeMaw---SHE was greatly admired and loved by all who knew her, too.
  He LOVED Kentucky. Once there after his Army Service (Psych Corpsman in Korea, Fitzimmons-Denver and lastly, Fort Knox) he never wanted to live anywhere else. Our Family holds a special place in our hearts for Kentucky history. (One coincidence is that I worked with an MD from Bardstown, Bill Herringer (Int Med) when I was RN manager in ICCU in Solvang, CA!! Jerry and Myrt took me to Bardstown when I was around 14.) In fact, I met alot of Kentucky people over the years who knew all about Cave Hill and its role in KY history. I was always so proud of Jerry's dedication to his Civil War section at the Cemetery and his involvement in the Pres. Polk exhumation! He had made good friends at Cave Hill, EttaRae Hirsch (sp) for one he totally admired and respected.
----Our mom and dad used to say Jerry had no enemies because he smiled and spoke softly while being right!! His humor was so fun on topics such as these. 
On his return address section on many of his numerous funny letters he would just write "God".  
   Just recently, Jerry lost a teacher and friend from his High School Days. Dan Moriarity, his 12th Grade English Teacher from Park High School in St Paul Park. Dan was born in Paducah. He made a very solid imprint on Jerry (Dan fought in the Pacific and survived to go to school on the GI Bill). He lived just up the street in Newport from our family home....Being so far from Minnesota was always a struggle for these connections. But Jerry found a way. I'm hoping that his closest friends in Minnesota can find this Guest Book and know how highly regearded Jerry felt about you: Ron Vogt and Betty Hakanson, Jim Haugen and Jim Fritz, and dear cousin, Pat Bielke Glasow.
---I am sure my outstanding memories of a great man could keep me going here. Everyone who KNEW Jerry, knew what a fine and upright guy he was. And that his humor was infectious and always there. Perhaps that is how he dealt with illness (many clinical deaths and resuscitated from asthma-induced respiratory arrests at age 7), how he dealt with heartache (losing our folks--grandparents and parents, aunt, cousins---But mostly, his wife Myrt. The love of his Life. And my most Dear Sister-in-Law, a true friend and mini-mom to me!)
---I have a feeling people will remember him as a listener and will be able to hear his, "Ah---huh." while he listened.
  I for one will keep talking to him. He was a force of nature---recently made his own cremains box out of white oak grown in Northern Minnesota. The same wood Tom built boats with at their shared endeavour, Newport Marina, so many yrs ago (1955-1963).

Jerry's voyage to Heaven was swift! I just know this. I'm so glad he determined his own plan at the end. It was good for Jerry---so it's good for us. Yeah---I know he's there. He was better than most of us. Ah...huh.

Lovingly, We Bless These Hands Dear Deana, Shawn, Darla and Sherry, Always your Auntie---Mary Helen

OBITUARY

Jerome M. Brandl

December 9, 1939 – April 30, 2013

Advantage Funeral & Cremation Services - Heady-Dixie

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