Memories of a friend

To the editor: A Wednesday night 20 years ago I walked into my first night of bowling at Frontier Lanes in the Warida 860 league. About an hour into the night, I hear somebody scream, “All night long, baby,” and start giving high-fives to anybody ten feet near him. I ask the team next to me who was that loud, obnoxious guy and they replied: “That is only Jerry Marshall being Jerry and you will get use to it.” Who would know that a few years later I would be on the other end of those high-fives and jumping off the table into his arms when either one of us would do something good. At that time I understood what they meant when they said “Jerry being Jerry;” he brought out the child in everyone and made you enjoy life every minute you spent with him. I have spent time with Jerry, watching him try to hit a drive 400 yards on a par 3 or watch him play third base and wait until the last very second to throw out the runner or even spent time dancing at the bowling banquet with Jerry sliding under my chair in the middle of the dance floor. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to spend much time with Jerry in the past few years. But when we did, the most memorial moments came when we discussed our families. Every time I mentioned his lovely wife, Sue, he would have the glow on his face of how special he was to have her. And when we talked about our children and mentioned Morgan, his big brawny chest would stand out as big as it could because he was the proudest father there could ever be. Jerry changed my life by showing me that it doesn’t matter how bad it gets; there is always time to smile and have fun. Jerry did that every time he came in contact with someone. You will be missed my friend but not forgotten. Your buddy, Bruce Peterson Warwick Editor’s note: Gerald “Jerry” William Marshall Jr., the owner of Marshall’s Heating in Warwick, died Oct. 14, 2006. He was 46.