Birth date: Oct 9, 1947 Death date: Dec 10, 2011
Gerald F. Guemmer, 64, of Clinton, died Saturday, December 10, 2011, at Mercy Medical Center, North Campus. Visitation will be held at Community Reformed Church at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, December 14, followed by a memorial service a Read Obituary
I was stationed with Jerry at Antigo Air Force Station from 1968 to 1971. We shared lots of common interests including keeping our cars running and fishing for the elusive muskies in the Chippewa flowage. I recall his sense of humor and adventure and am very sorry to hear of his passing.
Jim Babcock
After many passing years, I started looking for friends I made during my four years in the Air Force. Jerry was one of those friends as we both served at Antigo Air Force Station. I remember his great sense of humor and our shared love of fishing, especially for those elusive muskies. I am very sorry to hear of his passing and send condolences to his family.
Jim Babcock
To the entire Guemmer family, I wanted to express my condolences on your loss.
My prayers are with all of you.
Hey, you guys
This must be the place where I remember my friend J, Jay, Jerry. He had a way of recreating himself and I wish he would do it now. Dr. J is his last incarnation, but I remember my friend Jerry.
History calls us the "Boomer Generation" but I call us the Gifted Ones. J and I met when I first moved into the neighborhood on Community Drive and I pushed him. The year was 1954 and from that point on I became the muscle and he was the brain.
Our first project was The Fort. We took the wood from a "puppy pen" and built a shed where we held meetings. Over the years we built additions when we earned money enough to go to the lumber yard on 31st Street. Eventually it was two rooms wide and three floors high. Money was easy because a 2 x 4 twelve feet long was only $1.90 because they were crooked. We rode them home on our bicycles weaving in and out of traffic like a fire truck. The mothers never knew about that part.
We also played baseball in the "Lot" because Dr Guemmer bought the house and the lot beside it as a unit. There were strict rules for those games. If you hit the ball into Martin's yard or into Guemmer's yard you were out. As a result, my baseball career was short because I could only hit to center field. I never figured this out because Maryann Martin was our bud and played ball with us until she got a chest and started waring dresses - we lost a lot of friends because of chests. We never figured that out either.
When it came to music we were classical. Jerry's parents had a baby grand in the living room. We both were assigned music from the Well Tempered Clavier which was for the harpsichord so we wanted it to sound like a harpsichord. The brian figured out that if we put thumb tacks on the key pad it would sound like a harpsichord. Mrs Guemmer was totally annoyed and Jerry and i were separated for a week. That was the first of many long weeks.
Grandfather Guemmer had a toy steam engine with a machine shop. We set it up and sawed up a pack of my mother's 3x5 cards and a pack of your mother's envelopes. Great fun and another week of separation. Rick, I still have the whole thing and it is yours, just come and get it - dinner is on me.
Great luck! We were both assigned to Mrs Zinkey's class, but it did not last. It was rumored that Mrs Zinkey had the evil eye and could make 6th graders disappear. It was August in Chicago and she had propped up the window with a yard stick. Jerry and I were whispering in the back and she shot us the look and the window exploded. She shot the look between us and blew out the window. We never thought that the yard stick may have broken. I was transferred to Mrs Lohner's class and flagged as a bad boy. We were separated again. As a result, he became a scientist and I became a poet.
Over the years we have been separated and rejoined many times - mostly for cause. Do not weep for my friend for I shall not. Instead, celebrate half a century of friendship. This is the day which the Lord has made, I shall rejoice and be glad in it.
John
