Gerald "Jerry" Thole

Celebrating the Life of Gerald J. Thole

November 19, 1937 – September 12, 2025

On Friday, September 12, 2025, Gerald "Jerry" Thole went to heaven at the age of 87, leaving behind a legacy of love, faith, and quiet strength that will live on in the hearts of all who knew him.

Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Frank and Ruth Thole, Jerry was the eldest of eight siblings, a role he embraced with responsibility, warmth, and a natural sense of leadership. From a young age, he was a hard worker, starting a paper route at age 8 and never slowing down. He attended DeLaSalle High School, served as an altar boy, and even spent a year in seminary school before choosing to serve his country as a Corporal Specialist 4th class in the United States Army Artillery from 1957 to 1959, stationed primarily in Alaska.

Jerry met the love of his life, Léonne "Lee" Laurin, through mutual friends, which sparked a lifelong partnership. They married on September 9, 1961, and together they raised four children: Charles, Richard, Michelle, and Kristin. Their marriage spanned 58 beautiful years, filled with faith, love, laughter, adventure, and unwavering devotion.

His work ethic and drive led him to many career opportunities over the years, with each promotion taking him to a new location across the country from Minneapolis to Atlanta, Pittsburgh, New Jersey, Ohio, California, Duluth, and finally Orlando, each move was a new chapter filled with friendships, memories, and growth.

Jerry was a man of many passions: fishing on Woman Lake, hunting, reading, playing cards, humming and singing, and taking long, spontaneous car rides with his family. His sister Judy fondly remembers him quietly reflecting by the lake, pulling up crappies with a thoughtful smile, a true thinker at heart.

He was deeply spiritual, a man of faith whose quiet prayers left lasting impressions. His children recall kneeling beside him in church, watching Jerry pray with such intensity and reverence that it sparked a lifelong curiosity in them about God and the power of prayer.

Jerry's values were simple yet profound: love your family, know right from wrong, and act accordingly. He taught his children many things like how to fish, how to ride bikes, and how to live with integrity. He taught them how to view the world with wonder, how to wake up each day as if it were a brand new start and how to cherish even the smallest of God's creations. He showed up at games, at graduations, at life's big and small moments, cheering louder than anyone, even in a crowd of thousands.

He is preceded in death by his beloved wife Léonne (Lee), his parents Frank and Ruth, his sisters Mary and Debbie, his son Richard, his granddaughter Jessika, and grandson Christopher. He is survived by his siblings Judy, Mike, Jim, Craig, Dave, his children Charles (fiancé Debbie) Thole, Michelle (Michael) Capilla, and Kristin Thole; and his seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Jerry will be remembered for his loving heart, courageous spirit, adventurous soul, and unwavering faith. His favorite sayings "I am a mere shadow of my former self," and "Of all the things you've said… that was one of them" still bring smiles to those who knew him best.

If Jerry could leave us with one final piece of advice, it would be this: "Forgive quickly. Ask for forgiveness quicker. Reconcile your relationships. Don't let little disagreements grow bigger than your love and respect for one another."

Let us remember Jerry not with sorrow, but with joy for a life well-lived, a heart well-loved, and a legacy that will never fade.

A celebration of Jerry's life will be held on October 3, 2025 at 9:30am: Church of the Annunciation, 1020 Montgomery Rd, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714. Interment to follow at 11:30am: Highland Funeral Home & Memory Gardens, 3329 E Semoran Blvd, Apopka, FL 32703.

The funeral mass service will also be streamed live at: https://youtube.com/live/c_74lYFdXuM?feature=share

In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to honor his memory by performing an act of kindness, taking a quiet moment by the water, or simply telling someone you love them.