Jerry Colburn “JC” Anderson, passed away on Sunday, February 9, 2020, at the age of 87. Jerry was born on November 30, 1932, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Kolbjorn Emmanuel (Andy) and Mary Astrid Dow Anderson. Jerry was the second oldest of six children, and since his father was a career Army soldier, Jerry and his siblings called many places home throughout their childhood, including Michigan, Texas, and Japan. Jerry left high school in Japan to join the Merchant Marines, worked as a firefighter at Ft. Custer, Michigan, and at age 20 was drafted by the Army during the Korean War. After honorably serving, in 1955, Jerry returned to south Texas and began attending college at Texas A&I in Kingsville, where he met his first wife Sandy, and soon welcomed his son, Jerry Ray and daughter, Diana Kay. As a young father Jerry began what would be a lifelong career of 30 years with IBM, evolving his skills as a technician over the decades from typewriters to mainframe computers. The family permanently settled in San Antonio, and later welcomed daughter, Cathy Lynn. In 1982, Jerry married his wife of over 37 years, Gwenn, gaining four wonderful stepchildren Sandy Carroll, Joni Adamitz, Frankie Burrier, and Jim Bob Burrier, along with their families. In 1992, Jerry and Gwenn retired to Seguin, Texas, where he built their retirement home with his own hands on ten beautiful acres on Copperhead Road. Jerry was a man who could do absolutely anything and enjoyed life to the fullest. Depending on the day, he could be a carpenter, a mechanic, an electrician, a plumber, an engineer and an inventor. He was a Cessna pilot, a scuba diver, a snow and water skier, a fisherman, a golfer, a marksman, an avid traveler, and never turned down a poker game.
Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, James Anderson, his sister, Marva Eckman, and his daughter-in-law, Roxanne Anderson. Jerry is survived by his beloved wife Gwenn; his siblings Johnny Anderson, Ray Anderson, and Marlene Marino; his son Jerry Anderson (of Canyon Lake, Texas), his daughter Diana Anthony and son-in law Robert (of Katy, Texas), and his daughter Cathy Lloyd and son-in-law Ricky (of Cibolo, Texas); his six grandchildren Jim, Chrysta and her husband Chase, Jenny and her husband Cory, Colby, Sydney and Sawyer; his numerous great grandchildren, who brought a special smile to his face; and his loving dog, Tequila.
A memorial service will be held at Zoeller Funeral Home, 615 Landa St., New Braunfels, on Saturday, February 15, 2020 at 3 PM, with visitation from 1 PM to 3PM. A private interment will be held at Ft. Sam Houston on February 20, 2020.