"He cares.

He cares for me,

For his family,

For his neighbors,

For his neighbors dogs!

And for little boys who have broken bicycles."

-Eileen Obermeyer, Valentines Day , 2009

Gerald Frederick Obermeyer was born to Jacob and Anna Olivia (Gumaer) Obermeyer on either the 15th or 17th of September in 1922; his mother and the doctor never did agree on the date of his birth.

He delighted in his family, his church and his friends, in solving problems, in building things and in fixing what was broken. And in Christmas: gatherings at Christmas, decoration for Christmas, presents at Christmas, children on Christmas and always "Keep-Christ-in Christmas".

"Red" grew up in the rural hamlet of Sparrow Bush, New York skating on the pond, hunting in the woods, building, repairing and figuring out how things worked. That love of fixing, building and understanding things never left him.

His formal education began in a one room school in his home town. It continued when he enlisted in the US Army Air Corps from high school and trained as a mechanic. Assigned to the 13th Reconnaissance Squadron, then stationed in Bangor, Maine, he met the love of his life, Mary Eileen Moran.

After Pearl Harbor he, like so many others, had to leave his love behind. Upon arrival in the Southwest Pacific the 13th Recon was transformed into the 403rd Bombardment Squadron. Jerry's talent for problem solving and fixing what was broken became a matter of life and death. He kept planes flying from improvised airfields in New Guinea. Sometimes, planes could not return from a mission because they were no longer able to clear the inhospitable mountains. Flown out to the grounded plane, he jerry-rigged repairs so that it, and he, could return to that improvised airfield.

Never one to accept things simply as they were, he defied expectations and surmounted obstacles to make the world a better place … Though told he was "not college material" … he completed his degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Maine, and later became a Professional Engineer.

Though he was born into a home without electricity … he spent virtually his entire professional life midwifing our electronic revolution.

Though he sprang from people who stayed close to Orange County, New York … he lived and worked across globe — from Maine to New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Texas in the US, but also to Australia, New Guinea, the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia), Canada, Taiwan, Portugal, Brazil and Mexico - all the while, with Eileen, providing a stable home for them and their children.

Though he started life with so little … he gave so much to those around him.

He cared.

Jerry died early on 24 August 2020.

H e was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Eileen and by his brothers, John and Joe and by his sister Marion Gottlieb.

He leaves behind his sister Pat Mathisen (Dennis), his sons Bill (Isa Dolski), Stephen (Alix), and Paul (Cindy); his granddaughters Amber McCullagh (C.W.), Allie (John Mrkonik), Andie (Jay Rieger) and Jordan Obermeyer; his great-grandchildren, Kate, Caroline and Elizabeth McCullagh and Annika James Mrkonic.

And by so many others who were touched by this warm, humble man.

You can learn more about him at his memorial page . If you would like to add any memories to that memorial, please register on this site or contact Bill at bill.obermeyer@gmail.com

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in his memory to a favorite charity of your choosing. Some of his more cherished entities were:

His parish, Santa Rosa de Lima - 6571 FM 970, Andice, TX

His alma mater, The University of Maine - University fo Maine Foundation, Two Alumni Place, Orono, ME 04469-7592.

The Disabled American Veterans Charitable Trust

You may share a message or memory on our online guestbook at www.RamseyFuneral.com .