Jerry Edward Flory's Obituary
Jerry Edward Flory, 88, passed away peacefully on April 16th with his wife of 66 years by his side. He was the eldest son of Duffy and Evelyn Flory originally of Fort Worth, Texas.Jerry’s life was marked by his tremendous capacity to love people well. This stemmed from his active faith in Christ which compelled him to “love not only in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” Countless lives were touched by his firm handshake or hearty hug, an encouraging word, and his selfless generosity. Friends and family often commented that he never met a stranger. He brightened each day with his trademark smile and wink and had a knack for making you feel special.Jerry was an avid sportsman, enjoying basketball and baseball. He played on community teams as well as in his church league. He also faithfully served in his church as a Sunday school teacher, deacon, and Royal Ranger commander for Outpost 61. Bringing in his many years of experience from scouting, Jerry played an instrumental role in establishing the Royal Ranger program for the Assemblies of God in the Northern California/Nevada district.Next to his family, Jerry’s most rewarding accomplishment in life was creating Flory Construction, Inc. in 1965. His motto was “Our Business is Building Yours,” and he did just that for 30 years before transferring the business to his son, David. For as many commercial buildings as he constructed, it was always a life long desire to donate a church building to the mission field. This dream came true for him in 1988. He not only donated a pre-engineered building, but also traveled to Tanzania, East Africa to help erect the church in the village of Kijenge.In addition to Africa, Jerry traveled on three other continents. Together with his wife, Alice, he walked the Great Wall of China, climbed into the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro, traced the footsteps of Jesus through Israel, and dipped his toes into the Baltic Sea. His adventurous quests often yielded spectacular stories which he retold with gusto.Family was Jerry’s greatest earthly treasure and brought him much joy. He derived immense pleasure in sharing his love of the outdoors. Countless camping and backpacking trips hold fond memories of campfire stories, bears, and hours of fishing. Faithful to attend sporting events, Jerry proved himself the biggest cheerleader to children, grands, and greats! His whistle and clap rose above all other cheers. Family gatherings offered special times to demonstrate his affection and provided ample opportunities to get down on the floor to play with the little ones. His laughter was contagious. The twinkle in his blue eyes said it all.Jerry’s legacy lives on in the family he cherished: wife, Alice and three children David (Beatrix), Robert (Susy), and Teresa (Lou Gregus), along with 9 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. He was predeceased by his eldest son, Jerry “Jeff” Flory, Jr. (Sheila) and his sister, Carol McNely.On Friday, May 19th at 10:30 AM a Celebration of Life service will be held at Sequoyah Community Church, Oakland, CA.In lieu of flowers, the family suggests you consider making a donation in Jerry’s honor to The Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org)
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