Alex Paul
If a community is fortunate, it will be led and nurtured by someone like Jerry Wooley.
Friday, Sweet Home lost one of its most ardent cheerleaders. Jerry Wooley, friends and towns persons alike said, was someone who devoted a half-century to the promotion of the community, both as a private citizen and as acting city manager, not once but five times.
During both his active business years when he owned Sherman Supply and after retirement, Wooley spent countless hours volunteering with numerous civic projects.
The Elks Lodge, Chamber of Commerce (both Sweet Home and the combined East Linn C of C), the Sweet Home Volunteer Fire Department and many others benefited from his dedication to helping others.
“My wife Glenda and I first met Jerry when we moved to town in 1967,” Don Hopkins said. “We were with Jerry and Thelma on a bus trip to Eugene to watch the Civil War game. We had a $25 bet from that day on. This year I won’t get to collect.”
Hopkins said Wooley’s passing “Is like an end to an era. There aren’t many people left like Jerry who are committed to public service without financial reward. He was truly a class act.”
Hopkins said he and Wooley served on numerous boards and civic groups over the years and he truly respected and admired him for his dedication to others.
Blair Smith knew Wooley for nearly 45 years. They served together on the fire department and were hunting buddies.
“Jerry was a great Sweet Home person,” Smith said. “He always had Sweet Home in his heart. He always wanted to help better the community. He was extremely generous with his time and his money toward Sweet Home.”
Smith said Wooley succeeded Ivan Hoy as Fire Chief. “We spent a lot of years together on the Fire Department. I eventually became Jerry’s assistant chief,” Smith said. “He agreed to serve on the new fire district board because he believed in the department and he wanted to see the new substation built at Cascadia.”
Current Fire Chief Mike Beaver said he knew Wooley as a fire department leader ever since he joined the department in 1986.
“Jerry was a very valuable member of our community and our fire department will dearly miss him,” Chief Beaver said.
In his honor, the Fire and Ambulance District will lead the funeral procession Wednesday afternoon to Gilliland Cemetery with a fire truck.
Emergency dispatch will page out Wooley’s name for the last time over the radio system.
“I can honestly say that Jerry was not only our fire chief but he was a true friend to the department,” Chief Beaver said.
City Manager Craig Martin said he had spoken to Wooley about a week before his passing.
“From the city’s standpoint, Jerry was such an active person,” Martin said. “He will be greatly missed. I know that throughout City Hall, staff members were saddened by Jerry’s death.”
Wooley will be remembered for the good things he did throughout the community and his dedication to local government by serving as interim city manager five times.
“The city, the fire district, the Chamber, the Elks…you name it and Jerry was there for Sweet Home,” Martin said.
Wooley was supportive of combining the upcoming Christmas parades and even volunteered to help secure dignitaries to lead the event, Martin said.
Gerald A. Wooley
July 2, 1925-Nov. 22, 2002
Gerald “Jerry” A. Wooley, 77, of Sweet Home died Friday, Nov. 22, 2002 at Corvallis Good Samaritan Hospital.
He was born on July 2, 1925 in Sisseton, S.D., the son of James and Adie Forey Wooley.
He spent two years in the Army during World War II in Europe.
He married Thelma Jean Rice on Jan. 20, 1945 in Mineral Wells, Texas. Together, they moved to Sweet Home in 1946.
Mr. Wooley served Sweet Home in many capacities, including city council for six years, mayor for two years, the fire department for 36 years, 10 years as fire chief and city manager five times. He was elected to the newly formed Fire and Ambulance District board. He was president of the Junior Chamber of Commerce and Senior Chamber of Commerce, exalted ruler of the Sweet Home Elks Lodge, chairman of the trustees of the Elks five times, district chairman (seven lodges) of the Elks Drug Awareness Program for five years and district chairman of the Elks Veterans Committee for one year. He was named Junior First Citizen, Senior First Citizen and Distinguished First Citizen along with many other activities and honors.
Mr. Wooley is survived by his children, Roger of Portland, Keith of Sweet Home, Todd of Portland, Bruce of Alaska, Susan Wooley of Portland and David of Portland; five grandchildren; and sisters, Doris Tracy and Mildred Birdsall of Albany.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Thelma, on Dec. 3, 2000 and siblings Wayne, Lloyd and Leo Wooley and Dorothy Carter.
Funeral services begin at 1 p.m. today (Wednesday) at Sweet Home Evangelical Church with Pastors Skip and Ted Stock officiating. Vault interment with military honors will be in Gilliland Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District building fund for use at the Cascadia Substation in care of the Workman & Steckly Funeral Chapel, 1443 Long St., Sweet Home, OR 97386.