Gerald Adrian

Gerald, Jerry, Mr. Adrian, Dad, Papa, Grandpa…entered his heavenly home on November 18th, 2020, at the young age of 82, leaving behind a whole lot of stuff his wife and four children will now have to sort through. If you are looking for TIME magazines dating back to 1953 or a box of 1st edition self-published poetry books, please wait an appropriate amount of time and then contact us. Jerry was a "Grrreat" man. Jerry was "Sweet & Lovable". After serving in the US Army, he worked as an estimator, security guard, volleyball referee, and actor. He married the love of his life, Donna (nee Lawonn) on August 21st, 1965, and together they celebrated 55 years of marriage, four amazing children, and ten outstanding grandchildren. He grew up in Bay View and raised his family in Greenfield. In November of 2007, he moved to Cedarburg. When asked why he was moving there, he would tell people his wife wanted to live closer to the kids and he still wanted to live with her. Jerry was a lifelong Green Bay Packer fan. After watching the football game on November 1st, Jerry decided it was time to go to the hospital. He had "a cold" that turned out to be COVID-19. He fought for 17 days before the gates of Heaven opened and he received the gift of eternal life with His Savior, Jesus. He left behind his beautiful wife and their P.A.C.K. to mourn his loss. In birth order: Charles (Gretchen), Pamela Hunt (Monty), Andrew (Catherine) Kristina Eckert (Philip). Papa/Grandpa will also be incredibly missed by his grandchildren: Adrianna (Matthew), Nathan, Eric, Lucas, Cooper, Nicholas, Isabella, Kyra, Keely, and Callahan. Jerry enjoyed peanut squares, coconut persians, custard-filled coffee cakes, and strawberry ice cream. He loved lighthouses and being on the water. A recent quote from Jerry "I feel like I am in the safest place in the world when I am out in the middle of Lake McDonald in my kayak". He had a very expansive wardrobe simply because he owned a t-shirt or sweatshirt from every school one of his grandchildren attended, or clothing advertising for his children's various businesses, and most recently he proudly showcased Air Force swag for two of his grandsons. Jerry was a guy who showed up. He rarely, if ever, missed a sporting event, band concert, forensics competition, theatre production or banquet in which any of his children participated. He continued that tradition to the best of his ability with his grandchildren. In mid October he showed up for the small baby reveal of his first great-grandchild. He quickly exclaimed with excitement, "OH BOY!" as soon as the blue frosting was exposed. Jerry knew a LOT of people, or perhaps we could say that a LOT of people knew Jerry. He was easily recognized by the "sweet" ladies at the St. Germain bakery, the librarians of the Cedarburg Library, the chess club students at Christ Alone Lutheran School, the former members of the Silver Sneakers classes he attended, the members during the many years he attended church at St. Jacobi in Greenfield, and the current members of his church, Christ Alone in Thiensville. He was never afraid to introduce himself or make a new friend. Often at restaurants, immediately following the server's introduction of him or herself, he would respond with "And my name is Jerry, and I will be your servee". Jerry appreciated coupons and rarely was without a cut-out special for a variety of different places. He would go out of his way for a great value even if it was for something he didn't really need. One time his family had to remind him they did not have a cat when he returned home with cat litter that the store was basically paying him to take! He enjoyed the movies and attending live theatre. He met many famous people throughout his life and collected albums of autographed photos to show for it. For many years, he would plan trips to New York City and fill both the days and nights with Broadway shows. Whenever possible, he would get tickets for the front row center and was quick to volunteer whenever audience participation was required. As mentioned above, Jerry did some acting. He even got paid for it once in awhile. Mostly, he volunteered his time and talents to direct various productions and most recently to coach grade schoolers in forensics. Life was Jerry's stage and he couldn't resist any opportunity to be in the spotlight. He enjoyed a good audience. For his 75th birthday, he stacked the crowd with family and friends as he performed skits from throughout his life. Jerry was a man of strong faith and integrity. He had amazing work ethic, but balanced his life with experiences and fun. His lakefront property in Eagle River not only gifted him wonderful friendships over the past 48 years, but also gave him a place to entertain family and friends. Jerry is also survived (as of November 23rd) by his four older siblings: Vivian Adrian 90, Theodore Adrian 89, Marlene Adrian 86, and Fay Klein 84, a beloved sister -in-law, Patricia Hill (Gerald) and too many other family and friends to name. His final performance will take place on Saturday, December 5th at 2pm. Christ Alone Lutheran Church. 247 S. Main street, Thiensville, WI. There will be visitation preceding the service from 11am-1:30pm.