Obituary of Gerald Dewey McElreath

Gerald Dewey McElreath passed away suddenly Feb. 22 at UNC Hospitals. He will be terribly missed by his friends and family, especially by his wife of 52 years.

Jerry loved his family, animals, golf and vehicles of every type.

He was a veteran who served two tours of duty in Vietnam as a Navy Seabee. After Vietnam he spent the rest of his life working in the construction industry, for the last 45 years as an estimator.

Jerry was born in Orlando, Fla., on Dec. 20, 1944, the son of Dewey and Violet McElreath. After moving all over the country as an Air Force brat during his childhood, he lived in Florida most of his adult life.

During his life he panned for gold in Alaska, owned countless cars (including more than 20 Corvettes, Mustangs, Mercedes, Datsuns, El Caminos, Cadillacs and a 2-stroke DKW), owned many motorcycles (starting with a stubborn kickstart Harley-Davidson in the early 1970s), built four houses (doing most of the work himself), and was called a sandbagger (justifiably) at many golf clubs.

He liked jokes, and pranks, and tall tales, once convincing his wife and son that hummingbirds don’t have feet.

Jerry enjoyed swimming and canoeing on the Wekiva River, and also loved visiting the mountains of North Carolina, where his father’s family lived.

He enjoyed playing pool, a source of spending money in Vietnam. He learned to press clothes in the military (another source of cash), and his work uniform for decades were Levis starched and ironed with a crease sharp enough to cut paper. And polished cordovan penny loafers.

Jerry loved cats, but was tender with any animal, loving to go to the zoo and helping wounded wild animals when he could.

Jerry and his wife moved to North Carolina to be close to grandkids and “retire,” although he soon found more work as an estimator, and kept his mind sharp working part-time at D & T Utilities in Liberty, NC, until the very end of his life.

Jerry was predeceased by his brother Don. He is survived by his wife Susan, son Gerald, grandsons Ian and Julian, brother Paul, sister Ann Toth (Bill), sister-in-law Carol Laymance, and many nieces and nephews.

A small service will be held 2 pm Sat., Feb. 27, at Walker’s Funeral Home in Mebane, NC.

Walker’s Funeral Home of Mebane is serving the McElreath Family.