Jerry Monnet

Gerald Duane “Jerry” Monnet, age 93, of Grants Pass, died January 15, 2026 at his home.

Jerry was born October 19, 1932 in Sumas, Washington to Roy & Mabel Monnet. He was a twin with sister Geraldine “Deenie” Koepke, who died before him eight years ago. Jerry was raised in Sumas, attended schools there and then graduated from Nooksack Valley High School in Everson, Washington in 1950. Jerry was quite popular in high school, with his good looks, funny personality and his talent in musical instruments. He had a natural musical ear and played trumpet in high school, bass fiddle and drums in the grange hall dance bands, the piano and others instruments as well. Growing up he would go along with his parents to the grange hall dances since his father played the drums in the “Monnets Mountaineers” band. When he was 15 years old, he went to a dance with his parents and met a beautiful young girl named Maxine Sires. He said “I saw this beautiful babe coming out of the restroom, tucking in her cashmere sweater” and he was smitten. Maxine’s brother Don, who played saxophone in the band, told Maxine she needed to come to a dance and meet the handsome young kid who always dances with all the old ladies, since there weren’t enough men to dance with them. Maxine’s father, Mel, also played fiddle in the band, so she rode along with them.

Jerry swept Maxine off her feet and before you knew it, three years later they got married, right after they graduated high school. Together, Jerry and Maxine moved down to the Washington Peninsula since Jerry had a job at the railroad shoveling coal into a steam locomotive. They eventually moved back to Bellingham and Jerry got a job at the local plywood mill. He and Mackie settled down in a house on Laurel Road. In 1953, their first daughter Renee was born, and in 1955, their son Greg was born; they had the perfect little family. Jerry spent his weekends playing the bass fiddle or drums in the grange halls. His brother-in-law Don, had a group called The Skippers, in which he would ask Jerry to play his bass fiddle. He also played in other bands including The Westerners, Loretta Lynn’s band way before she got famous. Jerry remembers the time that he got to sing with Loretta on live radio, KVOS radio station in Bellingham, to the song, “Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! That Cigarette.” Jerry and Mackie spent many nights hanging out and having dinner with Mooney and Lorretta, as both couples had little children. Jerry had many stories of spending time with the Lynns and was friends with them until she embarked on her career. They did get to see Loretta and Mooney in the 70s once when Mooney spotted Jerry standing at the back of a concert and brought them into the big bus to see Loretta.

Jerry and Mackie eventually ended up in Grants Pass in 1959 when Jerry got a job in a plywood mill, since he heard in Oregon they would double his wages. Two years later, in 1961, their daughter Robyn was born. Jerry worked for Custom Plywood Mill at that time.

Jerry especially enjoyed the outdoors. Most weekends he would take his family camping around Oregon. He loved fishing along the banks of the Rogue River and other local rivers. He had a little boat he would take camping when he and his family went to Howard Prairie, Lake of the Woods and other local lakes. He and his buddies Vik Harling and Leonard Button would plan camping trips and deer hunting trips with their families. Jerry also enjoyed water skiing above Savage Rapids Dam and would also take the kids swimming to Fish Hatchery before there was any park. Jerry was raised hunting rocks with his parents, so of course he took his family on excursions across Oregon looking for all kinds of rocks, fossils and arrowheads.

While Maxine worked at Hull & Hull Funeral Home in the later 60s and early 70s, Jerry was working at the plywood mill, but he became interested in pursuing a career as a mortician. He had always wanted to be a doctor, but didn’t have the funds for schooling. This new adventure started when Jerry attended San Francisco School of Mortuary Science and then another Monnet began working at Hull & Hull. Working with Bob Matson and Lyn Stanger and a whole other crew that have long gone, they all became part of the family. Jerry eventually retired in 2006, after a total of 39 years for him and Maxine at Hull & Hull.

Jerry’s retirement years were spent with the love of his life Mackie, hanging out with his kids and grandkids. Camping in their motorhome at the Oregon coast, traveling to see family in Bellingham, camping with his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, and going to family reunions with all the nieces and nephews.

In spite of battling cancer and numerous health issues, Jerry ended up living six years after Mackie passed away. His children had the privilege of taking good care of him and spending quality time with their dad. Jerry lived enough time to see 14 grandkids bring in 15 great-grandkids into his life and also one great-great-grandson. His family feels so blessed to have had him in their lives. He is truly missed, but they know, as he always said, that his bags were packed and he was ready to go home to be with the Lord and the love of his life.

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