Gerry was such a great guy & I loved him dearly , as did my folks ! Whenever we were in the area for a visit , dad enjoyed going to the races with him & mom was grateful to him for taking her to all the antique shops/thrift stores that Janice liked to frequent . Being older than me , he was always good to his girlfriend/wife Janice's ignorant little cousin . As a child & teenager , he never talked down to or acted condescending towards me , as some adults can sometimes do . Whenever he was driving you to a location , he would always point out & relay the history of that area , adding to what you may have previously heard or learning something completely new . He was proud of his knife & lighter collections , always willing to show them off with people . Last Spring , him , Janice & Bub came to get me from Kansas City , so I could attend a cousin reunion in Sleeper . I stayed with him & Janice , having the best time I'd had since my folks passed . They took me everywhere & paid for everything , wouldn't accept a penny from me . While there , Gerry brought out his knife collection to show me , those that had survived the 2020 Christmas Eve fire destroying their home . While going through them , he suddenly gave me one of them to keep . I was overwhelmingly thrilled , but not surprised , because Gerry was generous to a fault & would give you the shirt off his back if needed . Him & Janice are well known for being that way , plus for taking care of everybody & their dog ... related or not ! I have treasured that knife ever since , even named it Buster & cherish it all the more now . Gerry's greatest pride was in his family & the love he had for them . There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for them . I'm grief stricken that he's not physically here with us , but so happy he's celebrating his eternal life in Heaven with God & other loved ones there . It's a comfort to know that we're all still connected to him by love & will reunite with him one day . I bet he'll be one of the first to greet you at the Pearly Gates & once inside he'll take you on the grand tour . I was blessed by God for placing him in my family . ❤️✝️🙏