Obituary

FOR what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?

And what is it to cease breathing but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek spirit unencumbered?

ONLY when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing.

And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb.

Kahlil Gibran

Jerry Brownfield, Bellingham, WA, after a life full of love and adventure, “walked into the forest” with jaunty steps, and deep clear breaths, on December 7, 2017. He had a deep and abiding love of the natural world.

He was a man of twinkling eyes, inquisitiveness and love, an incredible son, brother, uncle, husband, father and friend to all.

Jerry was the son of Allen Brownfield, and Alice (Zimmerman) Brownfield, of Sacramento, CA. Married (June 27, 1964) for fifty-three years to Virginia Elizabeth (Beth) Batcheller. He received a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Davis in 1967. Beth and Jerry served in the Peace Corps from 1967-1969 in Honduras, Central America.

Jerry’s engineering degree took him in 1969 to General Mills in Golden Valley, MN for two years, and then to Thermo King (Transport Refrigeration) in Minneapolis, MN for over 30. The family lived in Oranmore, Ireland from 1983 to 1985, as Jerry worked for Thermo King. Jerry and Beth moved to Bellingham in 2004.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Margaret (Brownfield) Harmer. His legacy and memories will live on in daughters Amie Lenore Brownfield and Jenny Elizabeth (Brownfield) Bowefield; grandchildren Erin Beth Bowefield, Dylan Scott Bowefield; sister Caroline (Brownfield) Minto; niece Vicky and nephews Mark Minto and Robin Harmer; and hundreds of friends and acquaintances around the globe.

Jerry was an active volunteer with the Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center, the Human Rights Film Festival Task Force, a men’s hiking group, and three book groups. He took many courses through the Academy for Lifelong Learning. He was an inventor (wind and solar energy in particular), and active in the Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship. He loved singing, gardening, hiking, conversing, tinkering, inventing, and writing poetry.

When friends and family were asked who Jerry was for them, their responses included, but were not limited to: adaptable, admired, adventurous, authentic, caring, comfortable, contemplative, creative, diligent, doggedly determined, down to earth, empathetic, enthusiastic helper, ethical, fixer, full of laughter, generous, gentle, good listener, gracious, honorable, honest, humble, imaginative, inclusive, filled with integrity, intelligent, inventive, kind, level headed, loyal, mensch (A person who does the right thing at the right time for the right reason), mentor, non-judgmental, optimistic spirit, peacemaker, poetic, practical wisdom, present to all moments and beauty of life, problem solver, resourceful, respectful, responsible, humorous, smart, sparkling eyes, stand-up guy, steadfast and loyal, strong & stable, supportive, talented, thoughtful, understanding, warm, and wise. Please share memories at this page.

Jerry has walked on and will continue to inspire us by his examples.

Memorial Service, Saturday, January 27, 3:30-6:00 p.m. Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship

Donations in his memory to: Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center (13 Prospect St.#201, Bellingham, WA 98225), or Bellingham Human Rights Film Festival (http://bhrff.webs.com/donate.htm).