About Jerry

About Jerry

Jerry was the best man I have ever known. He was a loving husband, father, a son, brother, cousin, nephew, friend, and someone his family could depend on. He was supportive and respectful, soft-hearted, incredibly smart, and talented in so many different ways.

One of the things I always admired about Jerry was that he seemed to know how to do almost anything. He was very handy and could fix just about everything. If something was broken, Jerry would figure it out.

He was also a software engineer and had a genuine love for technology. He loved SpaceX and aviation, and at one point in his life, he flew airplanes. But technology was only one part of who he was.

Music was a big part of Jerry's life. He used to play the drums and loved rock music, especially bands like Phish, Slayer, and the Grateful Dead. He also enjoyed reggae, including Bob Marley and Ziggy Marley.

Jerry was also probably the easiest person in the world to feed. He would eat almost anything and was never a picky eater. Even when the food wasn't very good, he would still tell you it was good. That was Jerry. He didn't need everything to be perfect to appreciate it.

There were so many things he knew how to do and so many things that interested him, but what mattered most to me was the kind of person he was. He was sweet, patient, supportive, and loving. He was a good man.

Our Story

Our story began because of my aunt Morena Rote. Jerry and I first became friends online while I was still living in the Philippines. What started as a friendship eventually became something much more.

The first time Jerry traveled to the Philippines to see me, he stayed for less than a day. His flight was actually longer than the amount of time he was able to spend with me. It sounds crazy when I think about it now, but that trip meant something to me. He had traveled all that way just to see me.

He came back.

On his second visit, he stayed for about two weeks. Before I eventually moved to the United States, he visited again for a few more days. With every visit and all the time we spent talking in between, our relationship became stronger.

I fell in love with Jerry because I saw the good in him and because he truly made an effort. He didn't just tell me he cared about me—he showed me. He was sweet and thoughtful. He was the kind of man who would sit down and write me a love letter.

Eventually, I moved from the Philippines to the United States so we could build our life together. We were married on September 10, 2015.

Our life together gave us our two daughters, Isabelle and Fiona.

There are things about their dad that they experienced themselves, and there are things they may have been too young to remember. That is one reason preserving his story matters so much to me.

Jerry and I had a peaceful marriage. Of course, we had little disagreements over petty things like any couple, but we never really had big fights. One thing that mattered to us was that we didn't go to sleep angry with each other. Whatever small disagreement we had, we found our way past it.

When I look back at the man I married, I remember someone who supported me, respected me, loved our children, and always stood beside me. I remember feeling that we were a team. He wasn't only my husband; he was my partner and the person I could depend on.

I remember his intelligence, his talents, his soft heart, his music, the things he could fix, his interests, his kindness, and even the little things—like telling me food was good even when maybe it wasn't.

Jerry passed away on March 4, 2026.

I wish our story could have been much longer.

But the years we had together gave me Isabelle and Fiona, countless memories, and a love that will always be part of our lives.

That is the Jerry I want our daughters to know and remember.

Jerry Through Their Eyes

Jerry was many things to many people. This is a place for the people who knew and loved him to share their own stories and memories of him.