Jerry Arthur Gaudette

Jerry was born in International Falls, Minnesota on April 9, 1940 to Theodore J. & Mildred A (Manley) Gaudette. When he was 3 months old, they moved to Bremerton. In 1948, the family moved to Port Orchard.
Jerry was involved with Boy Scouts and Explorer Scouts as a young person, but also as an adult with his sons. Scouting is where he learned to love hiking and camping. In school he was in track, football, and boxing. He was also in local “Little League” baseball. He graduated from South Kitsap High School in 1958 and went to Olympic College until he joined the U.S.Air Force and married Alice (Emerson) in 1961. He served in England for 2 years and Texas for 1 1/2 yrs. He came home and was hired on at Crown Zellerbach Paper Co. in Port Townsend. He was accepted for the Apprenticeship at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for Sheetmetal (Shop 17) in 1966. He graduated from Olympic College 1965.
Jerry retired from the shipyard as a Foreman in 1993. He enjoyed his camper by exploring Alaska for 3 months and Nova Scotia and Canada for 2 months. He traveled twice to Texas, Louisianna., and Missouri to visit family. Another interest of his was “Christian Builders”, helping other churches in their building projects along with helping his own church, First Baptist of Port Orchard.
Some of his accomplishments were: “Airman of the Month” for Lakenheath Air Force Base, England; climbing Mt. Borah (highest Mt. in Idaho), hiking Mt. St. Helens more than once; hiking the Pacific Crest Trail from the California border to the Canadian border; shooting a Cougar (in self defense), getting a Washington moose, killing a mountain goat with a bow and arrow, catching a 50 pound Salmon in Alaska and canoeing “Bowran Lakes” in Canada.
He was a deacon in his church and loved helping people. One of his favorite ways to help people was growing and sharing “veggies” from his garden. His family, church family, and friends were very important to him.
He is survived by his wife Alice, his brother Jack (Elaine), sons Glenn and Paul (Amy), daughter Justine (Bruce) Armbruster, grandsons Eric (Regina) and Gordon (Jenn) Armbruster; granddaughters Taunia (Nathan) Ourso, Ivie Gaudette, Brooke Armbruster; step granddaughters Alyssa (Kyle) Buckert and Madi Frederick; and great grandchildren Caden Gaudette, Nathaniel French, Skylar, Reese, and Ryann Ourso.