He attended St. Thomas Seminary, earning both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree, and was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 1966. He served as a diocesan priest and chaplain at Loretto Heights College, where he met his future wife, Jane.
After marrying in 1971, Jerry and Jane moved to Eugene, Oregon, where he earned a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Oregon and worked as a parole officer for the state. Their daughter, Kate, was born in 1976.
While attending the Episcopal Church, Jerry felt called to ministry and was received as a priest in 1978. He served parishes in Eugene, Coos Bay, and Ashland, Oregon, and was assistant to the Bishop of Oregon from 1988 to 1991, when he was elected the sixth Bishop of Northern California.
Jerry served as Bishop of Northern California for 14 years, followed by time as Bishop of Nevada. In 2008, he became provisional bishop of the Diocese of San Joaquin after that diocese split over the inclusion of women and LGBTQIA+ people in ministry.
He and Jane later lived in Las Cruces, New Mexico, for many years, where he was a parishioner at St. Andrew’s and assisted the Diocese of the Rio Grande. Following Jane’s death, he moved to Southern California in 2023 to be closer to his daughter and her wife, and was warmly welcomed at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Upland.
Jerry was a lifelong dog lover, avid outdoorsman, and mountain enthusiast. He took up golf in his later years, joking he’d be good if he could just putt. An avid sports fan, he loved the Oregon Ducks, the Dodgers, and watching Patrick Mahomes play.
Though health issues over the past three years greatly impacted his quality of life, Jerry remained resilient, and his faith never wavered.
He is survived by his daughter, Kate Lamb, and her wife, Kristin Ranta; his sister, Maridale Powell; many nieces and nephews; and his beloved dog, Osita. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jane.
