Jerry Musick

Jerald Lee "Jerry" Musick unexpectedly passed away on Wednesday, May 27th at his home in Moscow due to an apparent heart attack. Jerry was born to James "Lee" and Dorothy "Muriel" Musick on November 12, 1944 in Olympia, Washington. When Lee completed his tour of duty with the Army in World War II, the family moved to Flannigan Creek outside of Viola, Idaho in 1947. They later moved an old house from the mountain using skids and settled on Main Street in Viola. Jerry's dad was a log trucker and, from very early on, he spent a great deal of time with his dad at work developing a keen love of the woods and the logging and trucking industries. Jerry graduated from Moscow High School in 1963 and attended the University of Idaho for a short time. He worked at several jobs including construction and trucking for the next few years. In 1966 he married Mary "Jane" Birchmier and they moved to Seattle, Washington where he worked for Bethlehem Steel and Nicholson Manufacturing. They moved back to Moscow, Idaho in 1967 to be closer to their families when Jerry was offered a job with NAPA. However, the call of the woods was too strong and he started his logging career in 1969. He started his career with Bennett Lumber and later spent 25 years with Keck Logging starting out as a strip sawyer and later as a cat and grader operator. He always took pride in "working with Mother Nature" to harvest the products she provided while still respecting and protecting the environment. After multiple joint replacements he was forced to retire in 1999. The Musicks have two children, Laurel Ann (Musick) Stemmene and Brett Steven Musick. Jerry's love, pride and respect for them were always evident. He always took an ardent interest in their activities. He was a very nurturing father and guided his family with strength through good times and bad. His family enjoyed many happy years of camping where he worked and Jane and the kids would frequently trail along with him when he was working. For several years he was a volunteer fireman with the Moscow Volunteer Fire Department. He was a member of the National Rifle Association and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Jerry was an avid outdoorsman, hunting, fishing and hiking, and always respecting the woods the same way that he did while logging. He became disenchanted with his outdoor activities when he felt modern society tarnished the genuine characteristics of those activities. Friends and family will remember him as powerful in stature, logic, insight, intuition and, yes... ..opinion! He had a rugged exterior but a tender heart. He could fix anything and once, when he was the last crew member out of the woods and his pick-up wouldn't start, he fixed the fuel pump with the spine of a spiral notebook. Jerry and Jane traveled extensively throughout the United States for many years and had many wonderful experiences during those journeys. He is survived by Jane , his wife of 49 years; daughter Laurel Stemmene and husband Jim; son Brett Musick and family Lesley Ann Frost and her daughter Michelle Blaisdell; brother Dennis Musick and wife Tammi; sister Kathy Adair and husband Stacey; and many extended family members. His father and mother preceded him in death. At his request, cremation will take place and there will be no service. Donations in his honor can be made to charities benefiting veterans, Moscow Fire and Ambulance, St. Jude's Hospital or Shriner's Children's Hospital. Arrangements have been entrusted to Short's Funeral Chapel, Moscow, and online condolences may be sent to www.shortsfuneralchapel.net.