Good Bye Jerry

Today we said goodbye to a fellow fisherman, Jerry McDonough. Jerry was the next door neighbor of a dear friend of mine, Mark Applen. Mark organizes a charity golf tournament every year in honor of his son Eric Applen, and uses the proceeds to assist families with children stricken with cancer. (http://www.eric-nicolin-applen-fund.com/history.html) One of the great rewards of working with the Applens are the new friends that you meet and Jerry was definitely one of them. Besides being a great fisherman he was a master at the art of carpentry and wood working. He had used those talents to help raise thousands of dollars in memory of Eric. On Sunday night I went to say goodbye to Jerry never knowing quite how I would feel. The moment my eyes saw on him I knew everything was going to be OK. Jerry was wearing his Columbia fishing short sleeve shirt with a number of Rapala's hung in his flowers. I guess everyone has their own definition of Heaven and Jerry was certainly well prepared for his. We will miss him and his kindness, even if he outfished me on Mille Lacs! Jerry, make sure to save a spot in the boat for me.