Jerry Ellis Orsborn

Jerry was born in Yakima, Washington on April 26, 1938, to Albert & Dorothy Willoughby Orsborn. He was the youngest of 4 children and grew up and attended schools in the Sunnyside area.  He worked on the family farm since he was 7 years old. Jerry accepted Jesus Christ as His Savior in the 6th grade after a friend invited him to Sunday School. He was the first in his family to become a Christian and all the others followed. He was the President of the 4 H Club in high school and enjoyed agriculture, farm and woodshop.

In 1956 Jerry enlisted in the US Navy.  He was stationed in the Philippines and served as a parachute rigger. During this time, he traveled to Guam, Hawaii, Japan and China. After returning home he attended Northwest College in Kirkland, WA and joined the Navy Reserves. He married Theda Knight and they had 4 children: Greg, Dennis, Merianne and Julia. To support his growing family, he joined the US Air Force, for a total of 12 years in the Military.

He operated Orsborn Goose Ranch in Livingston, CA. He loved the thrill of the family business and inventing new ways to run it more efficiently. It was the largest goose ranch in California. Following a painful divorce, he moved to Idaho in the mid-1970s to be near his children.

In 1985 (after 14 years of being a single man) Jerry met Karen Loepp Barnes at a church singles picnic and they married the following year. And so, our love story began. Jerry rescued me and my 3 little girls: Sarah, Rebekah and Hannah. When our daughter Rachel was born our family was complete.

Jerry was a welder by trade but a few times he referred to himself as a “Tinker” on our tax returns. He thought he was funny. He could fix just about anything and always found ways to accelerate the process. He held various jobs including maintaining the heating and cooling systems for Mountain Bell throughout Southwest and Eastern Idaho. His most interesting job was for Pin-Nip in research and development of methods and equipment to use for sprout inhibiting in potato storages.

We attended Church 7:24 here for over 30 years. Jerry has served in music ministry, ushering, prison ministry, Married for Life teacher, Visitation Team, Missions Committee, Prayer Groups and volunteered for Love, Inc. We were Home Fellowship leaders for 5 years. During this time in 2003 God blessed us with our African son, Yves.

Jerry had a heart for Missions and went with a team to Venezuela. In 1995, while on a trip to Peru, God broke his heart for the country and the people. When he spoke of Peru it would often bring tears to his eyes. He later returned, serving a missionary family for a month.  He loved experiencing the culture and exploring the country.

Jerry loved reading and studying God’s Word and spent hours in prayer for his family and others. Together we enjoyed nature through photography, wildflowers, and geology and loved to venture off the beaten path.

His desire was to be used of God and make a difference in the lives of others. He loved his children and their spouses and grandchildren, and they were the light of his life. Jerry rescued us. We rescued him. A man has never been more loved.

Donations may be made in Jerry's honor to:  Church 7:24, 1830 N Linder Rd., Meridian ID 83646.  memo gift: Missions (Jerry Orsborn)