Obituary of Jerry Lee Ginther

JERRY GINTHER OF PUYALLUP AND TACOMA PASSED AWAY AT THE AGE OF 58 JULY 14TH IN HIS APARTMENT OF HEART FAILURE. NEITHER MARRIED OR HAVING CHILDREN JERRY'S LIFE CENTERED ON HIS MOTHER ,HIS WORK, HIS FRIENDS AND IN LIVING OUT HIS BELIEF IN JESUS CHRIST AS HIS SAVIOR. A DEVOTED SON,HE MISSED HIS MOTHER PEARL GINTHER WHO PASSED AWAY APRIL 30TH OF THIS YEAR AT THE AGE OF 101. HE LAVISHED ON HER ALMOST DAILY CONTACT AND THE LARGEST AND MOST AFFECTIONATE BIRTHDAY CARDS HE COULD BUY. JERRY WAS AN ACCOMPLISHED AMATEUR CINEMATOGRAPHER WITH A PASSION FOR MOVIE WATCHING AND COLLECTING. HE ALSO HAD A WONDERFUL MEMORY FOR FAMILY HISTORY AND EVENTS, WAS A VOCIFEROUS TALKER AND WAS UNPARALLELED IN HIS DEVOTION TO TRUE FRIENDS MATT, RON AND PAM. JERRY WAS BORN JERRY LEE BALDWIN IN 1952 AT GOOD SAMARITAN HOSP IN PUYALLUP WA. FOLLOWING THE EARLY DEATH OF HIS FATHER HE WENT BY THE GINTHER NAME OF HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS. JERRY IS THE YOUNGEST OF 8 BEING SURVIVED BY DARRELL GINTHER OF TACOMA, GLORIA BROWN OF ATLANTA GA, LORIN GINTHER OF BROWNS PT, WAYNE GINTHER OF BONNEY LAKE, RON GINTHER OF WATERTOWN SD, JOYCE BASSETT OF PUYALLUP AND ROBERTA GINTHER OF PUYALLUP. JERRY SHARED HIS PASSIONS AND ADOPTED THE PASSIONS OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS LENDING HIS SUPPORT AND ENERGY-HE ORGANIZED HIS FREE TIME AROUND THE PRIORITIES OF THOSE HE CARED FOR. WITHOUT THOUGHT TO HIS OWN BENEFIT HE WAS A VERY GIVING PERSON. HIS FRIEND RON SINCE BIBLE SCHOOL IN 1977 SAID OF JERRY-"IF I HAD ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE JERRY IT WOULD BE COMPASSION. JERRY WAS A MAN OF COMPASSION." JOINING THE US NAVY AFTER GRADUATION FROM THOMAS JEFFERSON HS IN FEDERAL WAY, HE RECEIVED THE HIGHEST EVALUATIONS FROM NAVY SUPERIORS. HONORABLY DISCHARGED JERRY HAD DIFFICULTY FINDING A DIRECTION FOR HIS LIFE, BUT ONCE HE JOINED SEATAC HOTEL DRIVING AN AIRPORT SHUTTLE FOR VISITORS HE ACHIEVED THE EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH AWARD SEVERAL TIMES FOR HIS SERVICE ABOVE SELF ACTIONS. GETTING MANY QUESTIONS FROM VISITORS ABOUT ACTIVITIES AND SIGHTS THEY MIGHT ENJOY, JERRY TOOK IT UPON HIMSELF TO FILL HUGE BINDERS WITH STATE WIDE BROCHURES AND INFORMATION. JERRY EVEN MADE VIDEOS OF EVENTS AND SCENIC SIGHTS TO LOAN TO VISITORS AT THE HOTEL. NEW OWNERSHIP AND A NAGGING BACK PROBLEM FORCED JERRY TO SEEK OTHER EMPLOYMENT EVENTUALLY LEADING TO SPECIAL SERVICES AT SEATAC AIRPORT WHERE HE ESCORTED TRAVELERS NEEDING WHEELCHAIRS. IN HIS FORMATIVE YEARS JERRY LIVED 12 YEARS AT LUTHERLAND BIBLE CAMP IN FEDERAL WAY WA WHERE HIS MOTHER PEARL WAS THE CAMP COOK. HE DEVELOPED A STRONG BOND WITH CAMP MANAGERS LARRY AND HELEN HARWOOD AND THEIR TWO SONS AS PLAYMATES. ALTHOUGH OUTWARDLY UPBEAT,OF LATE, MOUNTING HEALTH ISSUES FINALLY OVER CAME HIM RESULTING IN HIS DEATH. HE DID NOT BURDEN OTHERS WITH THE SERIOUSNESS OF HIS CONDITION. THERE WERE SIGNS JERRY MAY HAVE FELT THE END WAS NEAR AS HE BEGAN TO MAKE PREPARATIONS - TOUCHINGLY AND CAREFULLY ARRANGED IN A CIRCULAR PATTERN ON HIS DINNING TABLE WERE MANY PHOTOS AND KEEPSAKES OF FAMILY , FRIENDS, MEMORABLE OCCASIONS AND IMPORTANT MILESTONES OF HIS LIFE. NEAR THE CENTER WAS A PORTRAIT OF HIS MOTHER WITH A WOODEN CROSS INSCRIBED WITH SCRIPTURE. ALSO JERRY HAD SELECTED FROM HIS MOTHERS BELONGINGS A LARGE ARTISTS RENDERING OF JESUS THAT HAD HUNG AT THE HEAD OF HER BED.JERRY CHOSE TO SHARE 'THIS JESUS' WITH OTHERS BY AFFIXING THE RENDERING TO HIS LIVING ROOM WINDOW-FACE OUT-FOR THE WORLD TO SEE. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT JERRY IS WITH JESUS SHARING ETERNITY.WE WILL MISS YOU BUT I KNOW YOU WILL BE GOOD COMPANY WITH OUR MOTHER PEARL. CREMATION HAS BEEN BY EDWARDS MEMORIAL IN UNIVERSITY PLACE. INTERMENT WILL BE AT 2:30 pm FRIDAY AUG 19, 2011 AT TAHOMA NATIONAL CEMETARY WITH NAVY HONORS AND MEMORIAL SERVICE.FRIENDS AND FAMILY ARE INVITED THOSE ATTENDING SHOULD ARRIVE 20MIN EARLY AND ENTER THE CAR LINE AS DIRECTED TO BE ESCORTED TO THE SERVICE SITE. LOCATION: TAHOMA NATIONAL CEMETERY 18600 SOUTHEAST 240TH ST COVINGTON, WA (KENT AREA) 98042-4868 TEL 425-413-9614