Jerry was born May 12, 1942 in Langdon, North Dakota into a Mennonite wheat farming family. At age 13, he and his family moved to Dallas, Oregon. He attended Oregon State University, earning a BA in Physics, and then attended Brown University for one year. He joined the Episcopal Church and in 1964 participated in sit-in protests against segregation at lunch counters in St. Augustine, Florida. He met his future wife Helen Wong while a summer student at Lawrence Radiation Laboratory, Livermore. He then attended Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley for one year before deciding to return to science. He worked at Stanford Research Institute in Palo Alto and Physics International in San Leandro, California, then earned a masters at Southern Oregon College in Ashland, Oregon. He received his PhD in physics at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. With a family of five children, Jerry and Helen moved to Los Alamos in 1977. Jerry worked at LANL until retirement, then enjoyed hiking, rock climbing, and expanding his understanding of the Bible.
Jerry is predeceased by parents John and Mary Dick, brothers Stanley and Elroy, and son Jonathan. He is survived by siblings Ruth, Violet, Dulcie and Simon; wife Helen; children David, Chliu Mie (Sumi), Aaron, and Chliu Yen (Cyd); grandchildren Joel, Elena, Sabria, Sean, and Kayla; great-grandchildren Jonathan, Cooper, Amaya, Braelynn; and many dear nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday November 29 at Trinity on the Hill Episcopal Church with a reception immediately following at Kelly Hall while family continues to Guaje Pines Cemetery for burial. Jerry’s body has been entrusted to the care of De Vargas Funeral Home.
Jerry’s family thanks Los Alamos Visiting Nurses for their compassionate home care and Rev. Lynn Finnegan and Catherine Walters for their spiritual sustenance. Thanks also to Trinity on the Hill Episcopal Church. Donations to The Salvation Army, Red Cross, or charity of own choice are respectfully requested in lieu of flowers.