POCATELLO —  Geraldine Jerry Fulwyler celebrated her 90th birthday on April 28, 2002. Family members traveled from Tennessee, Texas, New Mexico, Nevada, California, Arizona, Montana and Washington state to enjoy this wonderful milestone.

The family gathered for the 9 a.m. Mass at St. Paul’s in Chubbuck, where Jerry re­ceived a special blessing. Her granddaughter, Julie Rowe, sang the “Ave Maria” during the communion service and  meditation.

The family gather in the afternoon for numerous pictures and a wonderful potluck supper. Just before supper the family linked hands in a circle and a meaningful prayer of grace was offered by Jerry’s brother-in-law, Gen. Niles J. Fulwyler, Ret.

After the meal, Jerry’s granddaughter, Kathleen Murphy, sang “The Prayer of St. Francis” accompanied by a granddaughter, Julie Rowe on the guitar.

At the end of the day a scrapbook was presented to Jerry. Each family had created his/her own two pages, which resulted in a very large picture album. This project was organized by granddaughter, Laurinda Fulwyler Woodward.

Nearly 96 family members friends attended, including 17 grandchildren and 37 great-grandchildren. It was truly a blessed event that our family will always remember and cherish.

Jerry was born In Grano, ND., April 28, 1912. When she was six years old, the family moved west, first settling in Wyoming, and then in Parma, Idaho, where she graduated from high school in 1931. She attended Link’s Business school and then went to work For San Diego Fruit and Produce in New Meadows, Idaho. In 1933 she married Jim Keckler.

Three children were born to this marriage, Hugh, Katheline and Linda. They settled in Nampa, Idaho, where Jim worked for the Union Pacific Railroad. In 1943 Jim died when he fell from an engine and sustained a fatal injury.

Jerry, then left alone with three small children, decided to go to cosmetology school in Boise. When she completed her course, she opened a shop in her home in Glenns Ferry.  In 1947 she met Jay B. Fulwvler, a wonderful man who had two sons, Mack (Jim) and Chester. After a courtship involving the entire family, they were mar­ried in 1949.

Our wonderful combined family settled on Garfield Av­enue in Pocatello, Idaho, where we all attended school and grew up in a loving home. The words “stepmother, -father, -sister, -brother” were never used in our home. As our parents al­ways said, These are not your children, these are not my chil­dren; these are our children.” We lost our beloved “Pop,” J.B. Fulwyler. Sept. 23, 1993, when he was 83 years old.

Jerry’s two sisters, Agnes Gibbons, Nampa, Idaho, and Genne Beach, Olympia, Wash., attended the celebration. Her four brothers, Ted Hill, Neb Hill, Rudy Hill and Jesse Hill have predeceased her. She has also lost one daughter, Katheline Keckler Sandoval, and one son, Mack (Jim) Fulwyler.

Our mother is the family anchor, our guiding light and in­spiration. She truly does bind us together.

 

Her door is always open,
her home full of love and care.
All are considered equal,
while warmly nestled there.

Each child finds the toys,
each sweet tooth quickly soothed,
She’ll lend an ear or give advice,
depending on your mood.

She’s our mother, grandma, advisor, friend,
the one we all come home to.
She fills our lives with joy and love,
and a healthy dose of inspiration.

J Rowe

 
   

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