Jerry Lee Alseth

Jerry Lee Alseth, 61 of Grandview passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on July 21, 2016 at Memorial Hospital in Yakima, WA. 

Jerry was born in Sunnyside, Washington on March 6, 1955 to Robert and Irene Alseth.  He grew up on the family farm in Sunnyside where he enjoyed riding horses, caring for Black Angus cattle, his pig Arnold, countless chickens and dogs.   He drove the John Deere tractor and would sit on the hay rake while Dad raked up the hay in the field.  He loved to play on the big tall haystack and feed the cows each evening during the winter.   His dad taught him to hunt.  At 10 years old he learned how to shoot a gun when Dad would place a dime on one of the posts on the fence.  He had a good eye and shot the dime right off the post more than once.  Together they enjoyed pheasant hunting in the fields around the farm.   The local ponds and lakes were frequently visited on weekends when fishing season started.  Jerry was patient, and caught a lot of perch and some big trout at Horse Thief Lake State Park.  He liked eating his catch but would prefer his favorite cream peas on toast or spaghetti made by Mom.  The family enjoyed going to the Oregon Coast; especially Cannon Beach every summer during his childhood.  He would put away a stack of pancakes at the Two Sisters café and ate taffy from Bruce’s candy kitchen.  He loved to beach comb and would find lots of sand dollars and Japanese balls, hiking all over Haystack rock and looking for starfish.  When going to Florence one year he rolled down the sand dunes right into the lake.  He swam in the warm lake at Fort Stevens State Park with a goal to swim out to the logs.  Jerry enjoyed the Trees of Mystery and Sea Lion caves and always went to the Seaside aquarium to feed the seals.  He especially liked Yellowstone Park and the chipmunks and bears.  Jerry was a bit of a daredevil; he liked to try new challenges.  He admired Evel Knievel so he built a ramp to propel his Honda 90 across the canal while moving the ramp further away to see how far he could go. In the winter, he would put the water hose out on the side of the road at night so the water would freeze and it would be ice the next day. He would jump on the sled and ride it down south hill road until he would cross the rail road tracks, trying to go further each time.  In the summer he would ride a piece of wax paper down the big slide dad built and then fly off the end into the swimming pool.  One of his many talents included walking on his hands for his family all over the house including up and down the stairs.  Jerry enjoyed tinkering with his GTO and restored a 1950 Chevy pick-up.  It was cherry when he was done.  He loved to play pool and his guitar.  Jerry continued to enjoy fishing, hunting and going to the beach in his later years.    He was not a person interested in possessions; he was a free spirit.  He enjoyed each and every day to the fullest never worrying about what tomorrow would bring.  He would lend a helping hand without question whenever needed.  He liked watching his son play baseball and football and in recent years watched his son coach the Knights baseball team.   Jerry’s daughter Krista loved music, singing, playing guitar and played Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star on the flute for her dad, which ironically was the first song he learned on his guitar.  Jerry was so proud of how well Krista did in school.  He bragged about his kids and grandkids to his friends.

Upon graduating from Sunnyside High School, Jerry worked for the City of Sunnyside for 22 years.  He also worked at his dad’s rental and repair shop to learn how to repair small engines.  He later was a lead mechanic and foreman for manufacturing and food processing plants.  Jerry’s love of the outdoors led him to working as a painter, driving tractor and repairing equipment for orchardists and farms.  He loved being outside working in the agricultural industry.

Jerry is survived by his children Tyler (Stacy) Alseth of Sunnyside and Krista Alseth (Manuel Olivas) of Yakima, parents Robert and Irene Alseth of Terrace Heights, five grandchildren, Ella, Sadie, Payton, Gunnar and Imani, two sisters Bobbi Alseth (Lisa Lugo) of Moxee and Connie Alseth (Mike Yearout) of Selah.  He was preceded in death by his grandparents, several aunts and uncles and cousin Mike VanCorbach.  His girlfriend Kris passed away on July 14, 2016.

The family is grateful to the wonderful doctors, staff and nurses in the Critical Care Unit at Memorial Hospital for their remarkable care of Jerry.

A Graveside Service will be held Friday, August 5th at 2:00pm at Outlook Cemetery, Gap Road, Outlook Washington.  Followed by a time of fellowship at the First Baptist Church, 401 South 8th Street, Sunnyside, Washington.  To share a memory or express condolences, please visit www.funeralhomesmith.com. Smith Funeral Home of Sunnyside in care of arrangements.

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