William Gerald “Jerry” Wasserburger, 80, a resident of Portland, OR passed away on March 02, 2021, at the OHSU Hillsboro Hospital.

Jerry was born on May 12, 1940, in Crawford, Nebraska. He was the second of four children to Eli and DeeLoris (Clark) Wasserburger. He was raised in Crawford and attended Crawford High School graduating with the Class of 1958. Jerry loved his small hometown and went back often for reunions. He was in Boy Scouts of America and was one of the first to earn his Eagle Scout badge at the age of 15 . After high school graduation he enrolled at Chadron State College at Chadron, NE and attained a Bachelor's Degree in chemistry in 1962.  During his college years, he was the saxophonist in the band “The Countdowns” and traveled around Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming performing at dance hals and colege campuses

Jerry met his wife, Onalee, while at a friend’s house. They married on March 15, 1971, at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Beaverton. They made their home in Aloha OR until 1981 when they moved to their small farm off NW Kaiser Road. They had two children, Jennifer and Kevin.

After college, Jerry left Nebraska to come to the West coast. He had heard of the fishing here, the snow skiing and Celilo Falls. Unfortunately, Celilo Falls had already been flooded years before. Jerry worked in Seattle and later Portland as a salesman for a medical equipment company. He went to NY and studied and became a stockbroker. Around 1976, he started working for an industrial flooring company. Shortly after, he decided to start his own company, Toughstuff Industrial Floors and was active in his business until he started developing dementia. He loved running his company and loved working. He could be described as a workaholic. He had many long-standing relationships and friendships through his company. An intellectual and never short on opinions, Jerry very much enjoyed a conversation or spirited debate about the day’s current events or just about any other subject of which he had a passing knowledge.

Jerry did not like being idle. He like to go camping, crabbing, fishing, water skiing and snow skiing. If a home show, boat show any kind of trade show was in town Jerry went to it. He liked to dance and listen to music. During college, he was the saxophonist in the band “The Countdowns” and would travel around Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming performing in dance halls and college campuses. He loved to go on cruises and wanted to travel the world.

He is preceded in death by his parents

He is survived by his loving wife, Onalee, two children daughter Jennifer and her husband Scott Lehner and their 3 children, Justin of Portland, Mattie and Josie of Athol , Id and son Kevin and his companion Terrie Klotz both of Rock Creek, three sisters, LaDonna Thomas, DeAnn Munks and Sandi Whiteis , and nieces and nephews.