Jerry Allan Camp
Jerry Allan Camp 72, passed away peacefully on Wednesday October 26, 2022, and is now in the presence of the Lord. Jerry was born in Portland, Oregon on May 3, 1950 to parents Margaret and Harold Camp. He attended Harvey Scott Elementary School, and graduated from Madison High School in 1968. Jerry had a wonderful childhood growing up in Northeast Portland with his two older sisters, Barbara and Judy.
Following high school Jerry attended Mt Hood Community College and served in the National Guard from 1969 to 1974. In 1972 Jerry and his dad Hal, started their own retail lumberyard, Camps Lumber & Building Supply in Gresham, OR. Jerry was well respected in the community, and the business was and is successful because he knew the key to success is to win customers through service and trust. Each of his children spent time working there, which instilled a strong work ethic.
Jerry was successful in other business ventures including: being one of the founders of Merchants Bank in Gresham in 1995, as well as having part ownership in a Holiday Inn Express in Chandler, Arizona Jerry's career and business were important to him, but he treasured his family above all. Jerry married Carolyn Card in 1975 and they spent many happy years together raising their three children, Carly, Sadie and Riley. They divorced in 2009 but remained friends. Some fond memories of their home on S.E. 8th Street in Gresham are of Jerry taking his own three children, along with most of the neighbor kids as well, on a walk to the park, with them all trailing behind him in a line; also piling everyone up in the Suburban and singing the "dilly bar song" on the way to Dairy Queen. They built their dream home on eleven acres off of Brooks rd in Boring, OR where their barn was filled with too many animals to count over the years. Their home was filled with love and laughter, where family, friends, and the friends of their kids were always welcome. There were many adventures with a pond, horses, a tree fort, and during a snow day Jerry would pull the kids behind the tractor on inner tubes. He was always present and involved in activities with the kids, including sports, 4H with the horses, and many family vacations. Jerry married Julie Camp in 2013, and they purchased a historic log cabin in Gresham, OR. They enjoyed road trips, and a beautiful yard filled with hundreds of plant species. In his free time Jerry's hobbies included bird hunting, fishing, gardening, cooking, coin collecting, watching movies, and scrapbooking memories of his family and friends. Jerry was known for his sense of humor…I'm sure that everyone reading this has a story to share. He got great pleasure from pulling pranks on his friends and family members! A couple of his favorites were to wait until someone was taking a shower and then race to turn off the hot water so that only the cold would come out…but his very favorite thing was to hide under his children's beds and scare them just as they were falling asleep! Jerry will be remembered for his sharp wit, integrity, generosity, and loyalty to his family and friends, and will be greatly missed. Jerry is survived by his wife Julie, his three children, Carly, Sadie, and Riley, and his five treasured grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his two sisters Barbara Hood and Judy Burk. There will be a celebration of life service held for Jerry at a future date. In lieu of flowers- donations may be made to Meals on Wheels, (https://www.mowp.org/donate/) which was dear to Jerry's heart.
