Gerard “Jerry” William Marchand of Murrieta, CA passed away on September 22, 2023, at the age of 87. He was born in New York and came to California as a young child. He was the second son of Nettie. His siblings included older brother Richard Marchand and younger sister and brother, Ruth and Walter Tucker.
During his formative years, Jerry, as he insisted on being called, lived in Lemon Grove. He developed a love and passion for cars at an early age and was driving before he was even of a legal age. He could be seen cruising around town in any one of his rebuilt cars he had over the years.
Though never much interested in school, he attended Grossmont and Helix High Schools in La Mesa, Ca., where he played freshman football and continued his interest in the car scene. He worked several jobs right after high school, including a few years with his stepdad Walter, affectionately known as “Pappy,” on a commercial fishing boat, fishing for tuna off the coasts of Central and South America and stationed in Panama when in dry dock. That experience proved to be a great source for many of the stories he later shared with family and friends.
Afterward, he opened a gas station/garage with Brother Richard, getting back to his love of cars. His main pride and joy was a 32 Ford hot rod.
His first marriage resulted in his son Steven. Jerry later married Dale Finch (second marriage for both) in 1963, and took on her children, Donna and Rusty Sportsman, as his own. Jerry and Dale had a child together, Brenda, affectionately known as “Brenda Bug,” born in 1964.
Jerry got involved in the home construction industry, learning the business from brother in-law Bob Johnston. He continued that as his career, employed in various areas of construction and, ultimately, beginning his own construction company as a Framing Contractor.
The desert with family and friends is what he loved most — dune buggy rides, camping, and hanging out with family and best friends. This was his pure joy, and he built several buggies of his own. At one point he and Dale even opened “Dirt and Dunes,” a shop that catered to his interest and passion, while still working his construction job.
In 1976 came the biggest tragedy of their lives, when youngest daughter Brenda passed away at age 12. “Brenda Bug” lived a fabulous twelve years, impacting all those around her. This tragedy would forever change the family.
Soon after Brenda’s death, Jerry and Dale left San Diego and relocated to Murrieta, CA, where they bought property and started Jerry Marchand Construction Company, in business until 1989. Donna and her family and Rusty and his family ultimately moved to the area and started their families, all to be near Grandma and Grandpa. Donna was fortunate enough to have Jerry build her home – a home she continues to live in today.
After years of spending weekends in the desert of California, Jerry and Dale, along with their dear friends, decided San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico, would be their new go-to place for getaways. Jerry built a home south of San Felipe and next to the Rusts, where they would spend their vacations riding, exploring, fishing and relaxing.
Soon after retiring, Jerry got involved yet again in the car scene — this time in racing. He was on the crew for the renowned Bean Bandits and later for neighbor Larry Lindsey, where they set numerous World Records in Land Speed Racing. Jerry’s favorite outing was going to the drag races (“drags” as he called them) and did so twice yearly with his sons Steven and Russ and his nephew Bob. Their last trip was in 2022, just weeks before he was put on hospice.
In his later years, with limited mobility, Jerry developed a love for reading (especially Jon Grisham Michael Connelly, and Stuart Woods), watching auto racing and football, especially the Chargers, and playing Chess, with anybody and everybody, and he was quite good at it.
In his final years, daughter Donna and son-in-law Nano were there for his every need. Preceding Jerry in death were his daughter Brenda and his wife Dale. Jerry leaves behind his son Steven Marchand, daughter Donna Romo, son Russ (Rusty) Sportsman, granddaughters Brenda, Alissa, and Trina (Romo), Nicole (Marchand), and Kelsey and Kendall (Sportsman), as well as five great grandchildren, Jay, Julian, Rockson, Malia, and Levi. He is also survived by his sister Ruth and brother Walter and numerous nieces and nephews, some of whom considered him to be like a second father.
We will forever miss his good nature and wit and the love he showed us all.
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