Gerald “Jerry” W. Weathers
January 4, 1940 – September 20, 2019
Gerald “Jerry” Weathers 79, died Friday, September 20, 2019 at his home surrounded by his family, following a short battle with cancer.
He was born January 4, 1940 in Walla Walla, Washington to Virgil and Marjorie Weathers. He was raised in Umapine, Oregon graduating from Umapine High School in 1958.
In 1960 he began ranching with his father and eventually settled at their ranch along the Umatilla river on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. They raised cattle, horses, wheat, and hay. He served in the US Army Airborne in the early 1960s and was stationed on Ft. Bragg.
He married Sharon Elk on September 24, 1966 at the Tutuilla Presbyterian church near Pendleton and they spent their 53 years of marriage running the ranch together. They have two children: Debra and Bill, who both live near the family ranch with their families.
Jerry loved the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon, where he was a volunteer for 45 years, and also competed there in the wild horse race during the 1970s. He enjoyed ranching, hunting, watching Mariners baseball and PBR bull riding.
He and Sharon often took a few days off after putting the cattle out on summer pasture, and again before feeding cattle all winter. They liked driving along the Oregon coast, California Redwoods, and to Reno, Nevada.
He especially loved spending time with his grandsons, teaching them his ranching skills and watching their sports and other activities.
He is preceded in death by his parents Virgil and Marjorie Weathers and his sisters Jeanie Olinger and Judy Russell.
Jerry is survived by his wife Sharon Weathers; daughter Debra Croswell and her husband Tom; son Bill Weathers and his wife Kimberly; and his four grandsons Jerad Croswell; Gunnar, Kannan, and Pistol Weathers.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Umatilla Tribal Fire Department in his memory.
|