Gerald Edgar Casper "Jerry" Muller Obituary (2014

Gerald Muller, of Melba, Idaho, passed away on September 16, 2014. He was 79 years old. He died of complications due to a presumed stroke that affected his larynx and left him unable to survive without serious and invasive medical care. Per his wishes, his family allowed him to pass naturally and comfortably at the Mercy Medical Center in Nampa, Idaho. His wife of 52 years, Gladys, held his hand as he passed. Jerry was born on September 7, 1935 to Edgar Casper and Nelma Alice (Chase) Muller in Caldwell, Idaho. He was the first child to be born to them. A sister Merna and brother Dan joined him later. Jerry spent his first 12 years growing up in Caldwell, Idaho. He was part of a large clan of Mullers who worked together on a dairy. Surrounded by uncles, aunts and cousins, this extended family would exert a huge influence throughout his life. He also kept in touch with some of the friends he met in Caldwell, like Dorman Wells and Don Vassar, all his life. As a child, Jerry was fascinated with P-51 Mustang airplanes flying in the valley during the war. His interest in machines would go beyond that of other children, and would be threaded throughout his work, social life and hobbies for the rest of his days. In the eighth grade, his father and uncle, James Muller, purchased property south of Melba and started farming a large cattle operation. Jerry was happy there, close to most of his uncles and cousins, and he ran equipment and fixed them when they broke. Jerry loved to be on a tractor or earthmover, listening to the roar of a diesel engine that he had repaired or modified. He had access to a well-stocked shop, where he could hot rod his cars and create custom dirt bikes that he and his brother Dan raced. In 1957, he and his cousin Larry Muller and friend Clinton Agenbroad joined the Army National Guard. He served well, and was discharged in 1962. Larry remembers an incident when their company was on a march, and the leader of the march commanded a turn. To Jerry's embarrassment, and the rest of the troop's amusement, he kept marching straight as the rest of the troop turned. He marched through two rows of other soldiers. This was one of the early indications of a problem that would haunt him the rest of his life: he was slowly going deaf, and his love of equipment would accelerate that process. His handicap would distress him throughout his future social and business life. In about 1961, he began dating Gladys Smith, the daughter of one of the workers on the Muller farm, and they married on March 25, 1962. The union would last the rest of his life. They had two sons, Brent and Jason. The following years were a very satisfying period - his work was interesting to him, he was economically secure, and his social life had not yet been seriously impaired by his worsening hearing. Jerry worked hard all his life. When he did managed to find leisure time he spent the time enjoy his love of all things mechanical. With his friends, he raced automobiles. On trips to the mountains, he traveled to remote fishing spots via motorcycle. He took his power boat to the lakes and water skied. With his cousin Larry and his wife Rita, who, incidentally, also shared a first-cousin friendship with his wife Gladys, they enjoyed the mountains and lakes of Idaho. With a hot-rodded power boat that he hand-built in the early days of the sport, he embarrassed at least one snooty Chris-Craft owner and shattered the quiet of Warm Lake forever. Along with his brother Dan and others of the Muller clan, they honed their skiing skills on the lake and generally enjoyed themselves. In 1976, the farm that Jerry had worked on was sold; it was an ordinary business transaction like many, but as a family owned business, the emotions amongst family members were strong, and it added stress to his life. Jerry had a tendency to worry, and the sale was troubling for him. He had to start over in a new place, and weather the fickleness of farming on a farm that would need many improvements to pay off the debt. He coped by working hard, throwing himself into improvement projects, running his earth-moving equipment, building irrigation systems and improving roads and buildings. He used his hobby of restoring cars to supplement much of his farming. In his later years, Jerry's behavior became less logical- he made unwise business decisions, and had trouble keeping the farm profitable. His equipment and shop became more and more run down and disorganized. Eventually, his frenetic actions led to a broken hip in 2013, and while under the care of physicians, a diagnosis of dementia. He had further medical emergencies with blood clots in his legs, and finally, the paralysis of the larynx that took his life. Fortunately he was able to spend his days of dementia with his family, and did not have to live in a nursing home, which would have been a torture to a man who rarely could sit still. Jerry is survived by his wife Gladys; his son Brent , son Jason and his wife Teresa and her children Alex and Brandy Burtlow, and Brandy's child Emmett; brother Dan, sister Merna and many cousins, extended relatives, and friends. The family would like to thank the sensitive people of St. Alphonsus in Nampa for their generous care. The family also thanks the people who offered support at this difficult time, especially Jeanne Muller, Larry Muller, Dan Muller, and Mary Keys. Graveside services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, September 20, 2014 at the Melba Cemetery on Baseline Road in Melba. Arrangements are under the direction of Zeyer Funeral Chapel, Nampa. 467-7300. Visit zeyerfuneralchapel.com to read the full obituary and to express condolences. Lord, Thou hast made this world below the shadow of a dream, An', taught by time, I tak' it so - exceptin' always Steam. From coupler-flange to spindle-guide I see Thy Hand, O God - Predestination in the stride o' yon connectin'-rod. John Calvin might ha' forged the same - enormous, certain, slow - Ay, wrought it in the furnace-flame - my "Institutio." I cannot get my sleep to-night; old bones are hard to please; I'll stand the middle watch up here - alone wi' God an' these My engines, after ninety days o' race an' rack an' strain Through all the seas of all Thy world, slam-bangin' home again. From McAndrew's Hymn -Rudyard Kipling Service: Saturday, September 20, 2014 11:00 a.m. Melba Cemetery Baseline Road Melba, Idaho