Obituary of Jerry Fellows

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth And danced the skies of laughter-silvered wings. FELLOWS, Lt./Col. F. Gerald - Jerry was born at his Palmerston Street home in Sarnia on January 23, 1920 to Frank and Mary Ann Fellows. He was followed by two younger brothers, Joe (Dora) and Fred (June). He graduated from St. Joseph's, SCITS and Sarnia Business College before moving to Toronto to work as a bookkeeper at the Windsor Arms hotel. In August 1940 he started his 29-year career with the Air Force when he enrolled in the RCAF and completed basic training at the Exhibition grounds in Toronto. After flight school he made his first solo flight in January 1941 and completed his first overseas operations that December. After surviving an encounter with a German submarine, Jerry and his crew were celebrating at a dance in Belfast, Ireland. Although the crew was bandaged and bruised, Jerry didn't have a scratch on him. He spotted Aileen Grant and asked her for a dance, which led to their whirlwind courtship before Jerry's return to England. Jerry came back to Ireland at Christmas with a ring in his pocket for Aileen and the two were married on April 14, 1945. Following the war, Jerry returned to Canada in July and was joined by his bride a few months later. He continued his Air Force career as a liaison officer at the Canadian Embassy in Washington and he was assigned to the Pentagon with the U.S. Air Force during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He was a test pilot and Commanding Officer of the RCAF Squadron at the Central Experimental and Proving Establishment in Suffield, Alberta and Commander of the BOMARC surface-to-air missile base in North Bay. He was honourably released from the Air Force in June of 1969. On his return to Sarnia in 1968 he worked as the Emergency Measures Co-ordinator for the City and the County and as a warehouse manager at Sears. Jerry was the proud father of three daughters, Geraldine (Wayne) Picken, Norma Fellows and Maureen (Don) Waters. In 2006, the three girls lovingly revisited the area outside City Hall in Belfast where Jerry proposed to Aileen, the Holy Cross Church where they were married and the Gresham Hotel in Dublin where they honeymooned. Jerry was the best Poppa in the world to John, Chris, Little Moe, Aileen, Matthew, Meghan and Daniel as well as nine great-grandchildren. He was an active volunteer for many years with St. John's Ambulance and Senior VIP. On January 1, 2009, surrounded by family, Jerry took a final look at the love of his life and wife of 63 years and flew to eternal peace on the wings of his Guardian Angel. We will miss him forever. Visitation will be held at the McKENZIE & BLUNDY FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION CENTRE, 431 N. Christina St., Sarnia, on Monday from 7-9 p.m. The funeral service will be held in the McKenzie & Blundy Chapel at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 celebrated by Fr. Tom Lever. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Air Force Association, the Royal Canadian Legion or Bluewater Health, Palliative Care would be appreciated. Messages of condolence & memories may be left at www.mckenzieblundy.com A tree will be planted in memory of Jerry Fellows in the McKenzie & Blundy Memorial Forest. Dedication service Sunday, September 20th, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. at the Wawanosh Wetlands Conservation Area.