Oh No! So sorry to hear this sad news, Scott. I knew Jerry both at Glenbard and Lawrence University, where we both graduated in the same class. Thanks for posting this information with your emotional and appropriate descriptions and comments, Scott. Like you said, Jerry was a quiet person, but smart, talented, and fun to be around. RIP Jerry. He will be missed.
I knew Jerry when he lived in Lombard. We both went to Lombard junior high together and shared quite a few classes. Our family moved ago at Glen Ellyn a few years after his dad and I enjoyed getting in touch with him again. I don't have the memories of sports at Glenbard but just many smiles and interesting times as a middle schooler. RIP Jerry.
Oh Scott, thank you for your very loving tribute and memorial to Jerry. His death makes me so very, very sad. Very sad. I should add that I remember this gang of guys you mention....basketball hounds, and admired by the Valley Girls (Claudia Schmidt, Pat Benedict, Patti VanHouten, Mary Pemper, Stephanie Schoen, Josie Schute, Sue Wright, Lisa Friedman, Lorie Arnold...and me). Thanks for the memories. It makes my heart happy to remember, but I remain very sad at Jerry's death.
Thanks for delivering the sad news in a way that made me smile at his memory. He was a brilliant kind guy. Always had a smile for you when you said hello. I'm glad to hear you were friends for so many years and enriched each other's lives. RIP Jerry. You are remembered well. My condolences to you Scott.
Hondo had a very witty and dry sense of humor. I've been trying to think of an example, but he didn’t tell stand-up comic jokes. His witticisms were in and of the moment and were funny only in the circumstances. They can be hard to recall, but I did think of one example.
A year or two ago we were playing golf, and I was telling Hondo about my plan to replace a dead tree in my front yard with a tree from Schwartz Nursery. But I couldn’t come up with the name of the nursery off the top of my head. I’m struggling to think of the name, and Hondo is looking at me expectantly. I say: “It’s in Addison along Rt. 53. It’s a German name.”
Without missing a beat, he says: “Fargenhoffnagle?” It was such an outrageous name (although clearly German), that I just broke out laughing. Hondo kept his deadpan expression and a hopeful look on his face, like: could that be it?; did I help you remember?, which made it all the funnier.
I'm sorry to hear about Jerry. So sad to lose another classmate and one you were so close to. Thank you for posting this. Love the pictures and stories Scott.
Scott - Thank you for sharing your memories of Jerry. I laughed out loud at his "Flagen... " nursery name suggestion! I didn't know Jerry but certainly knew who he was. After your stories of his life and that comment, I wish I had known him. That kind of dry humor, delivered in an unassuming and unexpected way, must be a great memory for you. Condolences to you and his other close friends.
Scott, thank you for the fond memories of Jerry. I didn't really know him, but I wish I had. He seemed like a fun guy. I really liked the picture you posted. It made me happy to see you all having so much fun. It's so sad to have another wonderful classmate pass prematurely. Thank you for always doing such a good job of keeping us informed.
Lee Dane (Gonzalez)
Thank you Scott for your look into Jerry's life for all of us who didn't know him as well as you. Sorry for your loss of your dear friend.
Jeffrey "Jeff" Ortmann
Oh No! So sorry to hear this sad news, Scott. I knew Jerry both at Glenbard and Lawrence University, where we both graduated in the same class. Thanks for posting this information with your emotional and appropriate descriptions and comments, Scott. Like you said, Jerry was a quiet person, but smart, talented, and fun to be around. RIP Jerry. He will be missed.
Thomas "Tom" Arenberg
I knew Jerry when he lived in Lombard. We both went to Lombard junior high together and shared quite a few classes. Our family moved ago at Glen Ellyn a few years after his dad and I enjoyed getting in touch with him again. I don't have the memories of sports at Glenbard but just many smiles and interesting times as a middle schooler. RIP Jerry.
Robin Kline
Oh Scott, thank you for your very loving tribute and memorial to Jerry. His death makes me so very, very sad. Very sad. I should add that I remember this gang of guys you mention....basketball hounds, and admired by the Valley Girls (Claudia Schmidt, Pat Benedict, Patti VanHouten, Mary Pemper, Stephanie Schoen, Josie Schute, Sue Wright, Lisa Friedman, Lorie Arnold...and me). Thanks for the memories. It makes my heart happy to remember, but I remain very sad at Jerry's death.
Anthony Capps
Thanks for delivering the sad news in a way that made me smile at his memory. He was a brilliant kind guy. Always had a smile for you when you said hello. I'm glad to hear you were friends for so many years and enriched each other's lives. RIP Jerry. You are remembered well. My condolences to you Scott.
Susan "Sue" Langguth
Scott, sorry to hear another of our classmates has passed. Especially sad that he was a lifelong friend. My condolences.Scott Zapel
Hondo had a very witty and dry sense of humor. I've been trying to think of an example, but he didn’t tell stand-up comic jokes. His witticisms were in and of the moment and were funny only in the circumstances. They can be hard to recall, but I did think of one example.
A year or two ago we were playing golf, and I was telling Hondo about my plan to replace a dead tree in my front yard with a tree from Schwartz Nursery. But I couldn’t come up with the name of the nursery off the top of my head. I’m struggling to think of the name, and Hondo is looking at me expectantly. I say: “It’s in Addison along Rt. 53. It’s a German name.”
Without missing a beat, he says: “Fargenhoffnagle?” It was such an outrageous name (although clearly German), that I just broke out laughing. Hondo kept his deadpan expression and a hopeful look on his face, like: could that be it?; did I help you remember?, which made it all the funnier.
Jean "Frosty" Pengelly (Lay)
I'm sorry to hear about Jerry. So sad to lose another classmate and one you were so close to. Thank you for posting this. Love the pictures and stories Scott.
Dee Copelan
Scott - Thank you for sharing your memories of Jerry. I laughed out loud at his "Flagen... " nursery name suggestion! I didn't know Jerry but certainly knew who he was. After your stories of his life and that comment, I wish I had known him. That kind of dry humor, delivered in an unassuming and unexpected way, must be a great memory for you. Condolences to you and his other close friends.
Marsha Virene (Matthews)
Scott, thank you for the fond memories of Jerry. I didn't really know him, but I wish I had. He seemed like a fun guy. I really liked the picture you posted. It made me happy to see you all having so much fun. It's so sad to have another wonderful classmate pass prematurely. Thank you for always doing such a good job of keeping us informed.