Oct. 9, 1944 – April 13, 2011
Jerry Max Gaspard, 66, of Sweet Home died on April 13, 2011 from a hemorrhagic brain stem stroke, which occurred on April 9, resulting in a coma. He never regained consciousness.
He was born on Oct. 9, 1944 in Glenmora, La., to Mabel Margret Carroll and Frank Webb Almond. He had five siblings.
He graduated from Riverview High School in 1962. He attended Los Angeles Valley College and Idaho State University. He graduated from the Police Academy in 1977 with his Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training advanced certification.
Mr. Gaspard married Dorothy Anne Battey on Feb. 25, 1972 in Malibu, Calif.
He retired from the Oregon State Correctional Institute, where he was a correctional sergeant, in January 2006. He also had been a deputy sheriff in Canyon County, Idaho, and an emergency room nurse at Santa Monica Hospital.
Mr. Gaspard was a member of the VFW, AmVets and the Elks. He attended local Indian pow-wows and was proud of his Choctaw ancestry. He enjoyed learning from Indian people about their different cultures.
He also enjoyed beading and working with leather. He and his wife loved riding his Harley in all kinds of weather and attending all bike runs that weather would allow.
He loved lots of food, friends, funny stories, a happy smile and a good drink.
Mr. Gaspard is survived by his wife, Dot; sons, Eric and Michael; daughter, Jennifer; and one granddaughter.
Donations to help with medical and funeral expenses may be deposited at Umpqua Bank under Dorothy (Dot) Gaspard for the Jerry Gaspard Trust.
A celebration of life, per his wishes, will be held at the Sweet Home VFW Hall at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 14.
Those attending may bring a dish or finger foods, dropping them off by noon so the buffet can be set up.