Gerald Wayne Holbrook

Gerald Wayne Holbrook, Age 79
Born February 4, 1937, went to be with his Lord November 27, 2016 at 10 AM, after a fierce battle with pancreatic cancer.
Gerald was born in Ardmore Oklahoma to Charley and Emil (Thomas) Holbrook. At about 15 months of age the Holbrook family moved from Oklahoma and settled in Shafter, CA, where his parents had a small truck farm. It was there that Gerald worked beside his parents, brother and sister and learned to work hard picking cotton, growing fruits and vegetables, driving the old farm truck at a very young age and attend church and socialize with many cousins, aunts and uncles.
Gerald's family moved to Porterville, purchasing a 200 acre ranch above where Lake Success is currently, when he was in the second half of his eighth grade school year. Gerald attended Porterville High School until his father became ill and he was needed at home to help with the cattle and farm chores. He worked hard, got his drivers license before he was 15 and remained working on the ranch and with his family.
He had many different jobs in his young life: sewing sacks in a potato shed in Shafter, driving trucks and chopping equipment with his dad and brother. He drove trucks for others, delivered the Fresno Bee and eventually took a job with Tulare County Roads Division, where he worked for 15 years. After leaving Tulare County he and his then wife partnered with Lena and Cecil Hubble and formed Sierra Plumbing and Electrical Supplies, Inc. that provided the community with a great place to find what they needed in diverse Plumbing & Electrical Supplies as well as paint and miscellaneous hardware as he took on the True Value brand.
In 1996 he also partnered with a nephew in Modesto and started Vinyl One Industries, a Vinyl Fence Supply, fabrication and construction company, and in 1998 started Vinyl Creations, as a third business venture here in Porterville. When Vinyl One dissolved Gerald brought the fabrication into Vinyl Creations. Construction business was added and he proudly created and installed, many beautiful vinyl fences, gazebos, pergolas and patio covers.
Gerald is survived by: his wife, Valeri Holbrook, sister, Wanda Leach, ex-wife Blondell Holbrook, daughters Joni Ogilvie and husband Jonathan, Jill Fleeman and husband Ron, step-sons Ian Hammer and wife Michelin, Matthew Hammer and wife Danelle. Grandchildren: Alicia (Ogilvie) Le Brun and husband Frank, Kelsey Ogilvie and fiancee Dan, Megan Fleeman and Landon Fleeman. Additionally there are many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents Charley and Emil (Thomas) and his brother Othal.
Funeral Services by Whitehurst-Peters-Loyd, 195 N. Hockett Street, Porterville, CA 93257.
Funeral Service at Porterville Church of the Nazarene Friday December 2, 2016 at 1:00 pm
Interment at Hillcrest Cemetery immediately following service.
Public Viewing will be from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm Thursday December 1, 2016