Gerald Friedman

1933 - 2023

Friedman, Gerald Duane "Jerry"

Gerald "Jerry" Duane Friedman, age 90, passed away at his home on Monday, September 18, 2023. He was born in Grand Forks, North Dakota on January 19, 1933, the first of two sons of Avram "Abe" Friedman, a 1913 immigrant from Ukraine, and Eunice (Carlson) Friedman. After growing up in Fargo, North Dakota, he graduated with a B.S. degree in Industrial Engineering and Management from North Dakota State University, thereafter joining the Air Force and moving his family to Dayton, Ohio. He spent the majority of his military and civilian career at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, where he served as a Systems Manager on the F-16 project and the F-111 project, in which capacity he received official commendation for being responsible for a multi-million dollar cost avoidance. After retiring in 1988, in 1992 he married his loving and caring wife Mary Jane, who stayed right by his side until the very end. She fondly remembers that in all those years, she never heard him say that there was anyone he didn't like. In retirement he was well known in his neighborhood for his daily power walks during good weather. He will be remembered for his love of all things baseball, for eating all of the edge pieces off Cassano's pizza before anyone else could get to them, for black beans and rice, for Bill Knapp's beef barley soup, and for never having enough ice in his water glass. Even during his final days, he managed to have enough lucid moments to tell his family how much he loved them. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister-in-law Gloria, and many beloved cats. Jerry is survived by his wife Mary Jane; son Mike; daughters Jody (Clif) Parsons, Leslie Friedman, and Penny Freeh; granddaughter Kristen (Jason) Lemke; grandson Chase Thomas; brother Roger; niece Cindy; nephew Jerry; stepsons David (Susan) Hause, Scott (Mary Ellen) Hause, Mark (Vicki) Hause, Brad Hause; many step grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren; and his beloved cat Charlie. The family wishes to express sincere and heartfelt appreciation to Ms. Shrettha Cole of Springhills Home Care for her exceptional care during Jerry's last days, and for the staff of Ohio Valley Hospice, for helping to keep him comfortable at home during his final days. Cremation is being handled by the Neptune Society. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, October 3, at Epiphany Lutheran Church, 6430 Far Hills Ave., Centerville. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jerry's memory may be made to SICSA.