From Bret & Brenda Stohr and Family

Our thoughts and prayers are with Karen and the O'Neil family during this time and we wish Karen the speediest of recoveries. We will miss Jerry very much. Our first association with Jerry was in May of 1986, I was working at McConnell AFB in Kansas and being from Washington, I wanted to come home very badly. A job opened at McChord, and of course, I applied. One day the phone rang and it was Jerry, he told me that I would have to be at McChord to apply for the job in person, and went on to tell me "I can't tell you if I am going to hire you or not, but if I were you, I'd consider taking two weeks leave, moving all my stuff to Washington, so I could be here to apply for the job when it opens". So essentially on Jerry's word and faith alone, my wife and I packed up all our stuff and moved back to Washington.

After the job selection was over, Jerry told me, in classic Jerry O'Neil style, that the reason he hired me was because he knew my former boss (at McConnell) from being stationed with him overseas, he told me "that guys is a total ass and if he had anything good to say about anyone, you had to be ok"!! Jerry was a great Fire Chief and an even better mentor. I very much appreciate all the things that he taught me about the craft of firefighting. He will always occupy a place in our lives and in my heart reserved for those wonderful people who had the most impact in our/my life.

Best Wishes To All.

Bret Stohr
Assistant Fire Chief
McChord AFB Fire & Emergency Services