Wednesday Obit

Pig	Posted 2017-10-25 5:33 PM (#86458)
Plankowner Posts: 5024 Location: Gulfport, MS	Subject: Wednesday Obit CHAREST, Jerome (n), passed away at his Visalia home on Wednesday, October 18, 2017. He was born in San Francisco on Dec. 07, 1926 and moved to the ranch, north of Visalia where he grew up, around 1930. Jerry was in the graduating class of 1944 at Visalia Union High School, after which he served in the "Silent Service" and served aboard the submarines USS Bluefish and the USS Seadragon. He honed his pugilistic skills representing the US Navy. Shortly after being honorably discharged and not having his sea-faring urges satisfied, he toured the world "on top" as a Merchant Marine. He married Erna Kelm in 1949 and they spent 68 years as husband and wife and raised 3 boys. His competitive passion for speed lead to open wheel dirt track racing in a '29 Ford Roadster in the 50's and go-kart racing on asphalt tracks in the 60's. He supported his sons in motorcycle racing in the 70's when scrambles tracks dotted the valley. His eldest son, Jake, Jan. 23, 1950-Oct. 1, 2017, was quite successful on the scrambles, TT, 1/2 mile and mile dirt tracks also riding a Vantech built, Ducati powered drag bike on the black top. Jerry retired from I.B.E.W. Local #100 after 46 years of service. He was a member of the Visalia Sportsman Assoc., Calif. Rifle Assoc., Lodge No. 128 of the free Masons and a Life Member of the National Rifle Assoc. His honesty, wit, strength and many talents will be sorely missed by all who knew him. Another leaf fallin' off the tree of "The Greatest Generation..." when ships were made of wood and men were made of steel. Published in Tulare Advance-Register & Visalia Times-Delta on Oct. 25, 2017