Gerald Melvin Procunier

Gerald “Jerry” Melvin Procunier is “On the Road Again” after a full life of 93 years. Growing up on a farm in Troy, Idaho, Jerry loved playing practical jokes, competing in basketball and football games, typing, cooking fudge, and working the soil. After high school, Jerry served in the Armed Forces during the tail end of WWII. Once the war ended, he moved to Spokane to work in the dairy industry and later installed deep fryers at local restaurants. Though he was a proud Union member and enjoyed connecting people with good food, retirement allowed Jerry to devote time to his biggest passion: wood art. A self-taught woodworker, he crafted violins, canoes, dollhouses, waterskis, a pool table, and even remote-control airplanes that really flew. Jerry specialized in an art form called intarsia, joining naturally colored wood pieces together to form an intricate image. He had a sweet tooth, an obsession with basketball (go Zags!), and a steady stream of wisecracks, dryly delivered with a twinkle in his eye. Never afraid to learn new skills, Jerry taught himself to use computers, master the game Tetris, and fix just about anything. His idea of heaven was an afternoon spent at the hardware store, or perhaps snowmobiling at Priest Lake, where he built a cabin with his own hands. A farm boy at heart, Jerry always grew a big vegetable garden, sharing his bounty with family, friends, and neighbors every summer. Jerry passed away just two weeks after the death of Rosemary, his wife of 69 years. Together they parented three children. He is preceded in death by his son Jerry Procunier Jr., and is survived by his daughters Patricia Ball and Michele Benz, as well as five grandchildren and his sister Roberta Swenson. A celebration of life ceremony will be held in spring.

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