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BORN
1935
DIED
2018
Gerald McAuliffe Obituary
Seabeck, WA
May 23, 1935 to Jan. 13, 2018
Jerry was born in Portland, Oregon to James and Helene McAuliffe on May 23, 1935. He passed away peacefully in Bremerton, Washington on Jan. 13, 2018 after a long illness.
He married JoAnn Johnson his high school sweetheart on Aug. 17, 1957. She proceeded him in death on Feb. 7, 2007. They raised five children together, built a successful landscaping and nursery business for many years in Kirkland, Washington. His passion for trees, plants and flowers gave him years of joy while supporting his family and financing his love of collecting classic cars and everything else under the sun!
Besides gardening he also enjoyed collecting, traveling and golfing to many places including Hawaii, Australia and Bermuda.
He was a member of the Classic Car Club for many years and enjoyed many car club trips as well as hosting parties at both his Kirkland, Washington and Seabeck, Washington estates.
The City of Kirkland purchased his estate in Kirkland, Washington and turned their land into a park honoring him with naming it "McAuliffe Park". This enabled he and JoAnn to retire to Seabeck, Washington and live their retirement enjoying the saltwater, wildlife, sea life and Eagle's nesting in their yard.
Survivors include his five children: Maureen McAuliffe, Molly Bishop, Patrick McAuliffe, Timmy McAuliffe and Janice LaHaye; seven grandchildren: Daniel McAuliffe, Michael LaHaye, Melissa LaHaye, Douglas Bishop, Gillian Bishop, Erika McAuliffe and Nikolas McAuliffe.
Memorial service to be held at: Trinity Catholic Church, 4215 Pine Road NE, Bremerton, WA 98310 at 11 a.m. - Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations to the American Cancer Society.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Gerald McAuliffe
Barbara and Roy Wilson
January 11, 2021
There are so many times we speak of Gerry. We have a gorgeous tree he gave us years ago, called "Gerry's tree", a beautiful reminder of a very much missed friend.
Beautiful mass for Jerry
Dennis Buckel
January 24, 2018
I had the pleasure of working for Jerry for 20 years maintaining his large lawn. Jerry and Joann welcomed me and my wife Rosemary into their home and treated us and sons Steven and Michael as family. We went to swap meets together. I'll always remember when he dressed as Santa Clause and came to my Redmond home to surprise our children. During a severe Thanksgiving day story we lost power at our place as we started the cook the turkey. I called Jerry to see if he had power. He did. He said I could bring the bird over and finish cooking it there. I placed the turkey in his oven and mistakenly pulled the cleaning lever. It locked the bird in the over and it could not be removed until the cleaning cycle was complete. When it was done... more than 5-hour later the turkey had turned to ashes. I also had the pleasure of joining Jerry along with my son Steven for one Seafair weekend in his woody Chris Craft. It was a sad and happy day when I attended his memorial mass in Bremerton. Happy because I got to see so many family members and friends I haven't seen in 25 years. Especially say since my wife Rosemary also recently passed ironically five days after Jerry.
Susan Parzybok
January 23, 2018
Jerry was such a great man. He worked hard, was creative and ran a really good business. I called Jerry the white tornado of landscaping. He could transform my yard in one day. I once sold him my suburban. He loved it because I was meticulous about caring for it. He noticed and appreciated that. When I finally decided to sell it, I called Jerry and he bought it! He left a wonderful legacy in Kirkland. Rest in peace, Jerry!!!
KEN NIEMIEC
January 22, 2018
Jerry was and always will be a good man and a hard working one at that. My Grandfather Al Niemiec tought Jerry some of his golf tricks when Jerry was younger,when I met Jerry I was being carded at the Lone Rock store when the owner asked what kind of name was Niemiec?, Jerry heard this, grabbed my license, and asked, are you Joe or Richards son. I replied I was Joe's son, after that Jerry took me on a tour of his Estate and we have been friends ever since, He has a great family and I love them all and will miss Jerry forever, I think of Jerry and his family every time I drive by that Beautiful place, love you Jerry, may you REST IN PEACE.
McAuliffe Park - Pea Patch
Jason Filan
January 22, 2018
What a great guy!!
His hard work and legacy of horticulture and gardening will live on for generations and generations. Multitudes of people enjoy his park each and every day. Community members grow fruits, vegetables, and flowers in the pea patch, kids play on the playground, while others just set a blanket down on the lawn areas and enjoy the beautiful scenery. McAuliffe Park is a loved jewel of Kirkland's Park system bringing joy to people every day.
Warmest regards Mr. McAuliffe.......thank you for the grin.
Christie Wilmarth
January 21, 2018
We were blessed to have bought our beautiful acre from Jerry across the street from the McAuliffe house in Kirkland in 1994. What a neighbor he was!!! He would go flying down the road on his scooter, or rumbling down in a truck, or sitting on a tractor. You could hear him hollering across the road to his workers at all times of day or evening. We never lacked for entertainment and we enjoyed the heck out of every conversation we ever had with him. It was a very sad day for us when the McAuliffe's moved but he couldn't have been happier with the deal he made with the city. He had the biggest grin on his face when he told me about it. We missed all the commotion after he moved. Thanks to Jerry, we had a peaceful, park-like property we shared with our family for almost 20 years. Rest in peace, Jerry. You were one of a kind and we'll never forget you!
Steve, Christie and Cory Wilmarth, Kenmore, WA
Megan Blake
January 21, 2018
Jerry was a unique man with a heart of gold, he was very special to me.
Thomas Vinje
January 20, 2018
Quite a guy, Gerry. He had a big impact on me as my landscaping boss, beginning when I was 15 (in 1969). He taught his workers to run, not walk, and never to waste a moment. Not long after I began working for him, I recall mowing the big lawn at his new Kirkland house for the very first time, with a small motor-less push mower. Id already been mowing for some hours its a 4.5 acre lawn and about 10pm I headed back up to the nursery, ready to quit for the day. Gerry stopped me and asked what I was doing. I told him it was dark and I could not see where I was mowing. He instructed me to get the Hell back out there and finish mowing the lawn. So I did, until about 1am, in the pitch black. Next day, the lines were not very straight on the lawn, but I had learned one never stops a job until one is finished with it. Ive tried to stick to that lesson all these years. So heres to one of the greatest characters Ive ever met Thomas Vinje (otherwise known to Gerry as Number Five), now a lawyer practicing international law for technology companies in Brussels, Belgium.
Terri Hayward, Cook
January 19, 2018
Rest In Peace See You soon!
Colleen deCillia
January 18, 2018
May you cherish your memories and find peace knowing that they are together again. Rest in Peace.
Barbara and Roy Wilson
January 17, 2018
A much loved, dear friend, never to be forgotten. Years ago he gave us a tree which we dug up and moved with us when we left our Seabeck home. Today, we look out our kitchen window to see our "Gerry Tree" standing tall, a constant reminder of his kindness.
We will always think of him with his huge smile, yellow scissors in one hand, tomato plants, a bowl of daffodils or some other treasure for our garden in the other. Rest in peace darling Gerry, Until we meet again.
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