Jerry Lee Schlaman

Jerry Lee Schlaman died peacefully in his home in Rock Island, WA on December 31, 2014, with his wife, Peggy Love, at his bedside. He died of a form of pancreatic cancer. Jerry was born in Grand Island, NE on June 25, 1947, to Adolph and Elsie Schlaman, who predeceased him. Jerry and Peggy met in 1977, in Boston, MA, where they both worked for the same company, he as an engineer and she as an attorney. Jerry earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering at Central New England College in 1977. He got the foundation for this degree through training by the U.S. Navy in nuclear power. He was a reactor operator on the USS Long Beach. After all that training and education, he worked around the United States helping to design, start up and troubleshoot commercial nuclear power plants. He and Peggy married May 31, 1981, and made their first home together in Phoenix, AZ. He worked in Cleveland next and then got a job in Russellville, AR. It was in Russellville in 1988, that they were blessed by becoming parents of Sarah Elizabeth Schlaman, who was so anxious to join her parents that she came 12 weeks early. She was the light of their lives. While there in Arkansas, Jerry had the joy of buying an airplane and he really loved taking his family on trips around the area, as well as to visit his parents in Nebraska. Jerry had a dream from his youth that he would someday own an orchard in the Wenatchee Valley. That dream came from his visit with his family in 1962 to the World's Fair in Seattle. He fell in love with the area then and was one of the lucky ones who actually fulfilled his dream when he found their orchard in Rock Island. The family moved into their new home in July 1992, but sadly, in September 1992, their beautiful daughter died. Probably the saddest moment for Jerry in his life. He and Peggy determined to stay and so they did. Jerry worked hard on the orchard, but also traveled around the country to work at various nuclear plant sites. He also worked at Oregon State University, where he helped with the testing of a new Westinghouse nuclear plant design. Jerry cared about his country and its people, especially its young people. He was unhappy when he saw that his country was throwing its weight around. When he heard the drums of war in 2002, he was quite distressed and began to speak out against it. It took him a few years to find an organization that held many of the same views that he did and it was Veterans for Peace. The two principles most important to him from its Statement of Purpose were "to end the arms race and to... eliminate nuclear weapons" and "to abolish war as an instrument of foreign policy". He joined in 2005 and continued to speak out. After a few years, he became a Lifetime Member. He and Peggy started a weekly Vigil for Peace in Wenatchee in August 2005, which continues to this day. Another organization which Jerry supported was the Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action, which has been working to abolish nuclear weapons since the 1970s. It's located adjacent to the Trident Base at Bangor, WA. Jerry is survived by his wife of 33 years, Peggy Love. He is also survived by his sister, Berneice Seymour of Spring, TX; brothers, Dick Schlaman of Grand Island, NE, and Bob Schlaman of Warm Beach, WA; and many nieces and nephews. A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday, January 24, 2015, at the Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center at 4:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Veterans for Peace at 1404 N. Broadway, St. Louis, MO 63102 or at veteransforpeace.org. Arrangements are by Heritage Memorial Chapel in East Wenatchee.

Jerry Lee Schlaman

June 25, 1947 - December 31, 2014