JOHN JERALD "JERRY" VERELLEN ~ Class of 1949
December 20, 1930 - September 30, 2005
John Jerald "Jerry" Verellen
Burbank, WA
Jerry Verellen died September 30, 2005, following a brief battle with cancer.
Jerry was born December 20, 1930, in Fort Collins, Colorado. He was the first of seven children born
to Lambert and Lucille Verellen.
Jerry moved to Richland with his family in 1944. He attended Columbia High School in Richland. Jerry
served in the army from 1950 to 1953, and fought in the Korean War.
Jerry worked many jobs (as a surveyor, at Hanford, Boise Cascade, Boeing, and the Ford Motor Co.)
before opening a Farmer’s Insurance Agency in Goldendale, WA which he operated until he retired
and returned to the Tri-Cities in 1991.
Jerry is preceded in death by his parents, his first wife Laurel, infant son Paul Michael, grandson
Kevin, and sister Patsy ('50). He is survived by his son Richard, daughter-in-law Evon, and special
granddaughter Laurel (Boo) of Richland; his son Paul Edward and daughter Crystal of Kennewick. He is
also survived by his sisters Beth Rainey ('52) and Annette Parnell ('56), brothers Bob ('62), Tom ('60),
and Jim Verellen ('69), and former wife Debbie Johnson.
A memorial service will be held at Christ the King church in Richland on Saturday, October 8 at 2 pm.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Jerry’s name to Tri-Cities
Chaplaincy, Hospice house.