1939 – 2023
Gerald “Jerry” Shanafelt passed away at his Ashland home in late June after a long illness.
Husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, son and friend, his ready smile, subtle humor and creative, inquisitive spirit will remain in our hearts.
A multitalented craftsman and athlete, his skills, interests and passions ran the gamut. He was a landscape oil painter, home designer/builder/renovator, cyclist, B&B innkeeper, small boat builder, sailor, woodworker and sculptor. And he was a world traveler, photographer, kayaker, dog musher, small woodland owner and forest steward, skier, high school football and track star, hiker, engineer/inventor and architectural coordinator (in other words, a “troubleshooter”).
He was an avid reader and lifelong learner, eager to learn from others and share his knowledge, as well as teaching himself and experimenting with materials and techniques to achieve his desired results. His many “‘Jerry’rigged” innovations and repairs were actually “jury-rigged” (see definitions for difference). He loved life, the mountains and ocean, food (especially fine wine and dark chocolate) and his family and friends. His greatest regret was not having more time with those he loved.
He is loved by many and will be missed greatly. Our solace is that he lives on in all the beauty he has left behind.
Those wishing to remember and honor Jerry may do so by leaving messages and condolences at litwillersimonsen.com or by planting a tree. Donations in his memory may be made to Bear Creek Greenway Foundation, PO Box 4561, Medford, OR 97501. (He had long hoped to bike the greenway, when it was completed, from Ashland to Rogue River.)
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