A message from Murle and Verne Hicks

Murle and Verne Hicks were Gerald's sister and brother-in-laws.  Murle was Afton's oldest sister.  This is what they wrote about PappaDaddio.

Dear Jerry, 

It is impossible to realize all the Jerrys I know are sick.  There is the Jerry who always made us feel like the most important people in the world when we visited them.

There is the Jerry who always had in the freezer 34 of the 32 flavors of ice cream -- and he knew whose favorite each one was.  He knew mine was his root beer floats.  No one else makes them just right.  If we managed to use up the root beer there was the Jerry who would cheerfully find an all-night gasoline station with a stock of Hires root beer.

There was the Organizer Jerry who planned the annual campout and then carried out the plan by supervising and loading up all the equipment necessary.  His self-assigned duties included going to the designated campsite early enough in the week to be sure he had a sight big enough to accommodate his family and us interlopers too.

There is the deeply religious Jerry who didn't let his campout interfere with the weekly religious services, but took them to his campsite.  My very favorite Relief Society meeting was held in a tent since rain was a problem that year.

There is the arbitrator Jerry.  He had one small boat at a campout and arranged a schedule that made everyone, adults to children, happy -- along with bringing in some fish.

There is the HONEST Jerry who wouldn't owe anyone a debt though he suffered from the dishonesty of some customers.

Then we have the Poppadadeo Jerry who supported and helped each of the children in the various activities they entered.

There is the Son-in-Law Jerry who let our mother know she was cherished.  He has held her accomplishments up to his children so they realize just what a great person she was.  They treat her memory almost with reverence.

Also there is the fun Jerry who restored a model T, but didn't put a floor in it (if I remember correctly), and "Connie" covered the seats with glow-pink satin.  We loved our "night rides" on the trackless desert.

There is the open-minded Gerry who accepts people for what they are, not what he wishes they were, and never drops so much as a hint that he feels they should be different.

I know many more Gerry's and hope each of them feels better soon.

WE LOVE YOU, GERRY, and hope for the best.

Love,

Verne & Murle

6 April 2002