Obituary of Jerry Webber

"A nation needs heroes. It needs examples of valor so that it will know just how it ought to behave." (Theodore R. Roosevelt, US President 1901-1911). Jerry R. Webber, born on December 19, 1966, to Leland Webber and Joan McClendon in Klamath Falls, Oregon, was this sort of man. It didn't take long after graduation from Mazama High School in 1985 that he committed himself to serving his country by joining the U.S. Air Force. His various assignments took him to bases in Japan and California, and at one point in his tour of duty, he earned jump wings while attached to the 82nd Airborne as a combat weather analyst. He was drawn back home to marry Tiffany Stanfill in 1991. Jerry and Tiffany remained sweethearts. They had known each other since childhood, and a shared love of music and drumming brought them together while Jerry was still in high school. The couple moved to Rancho Cordova, California, when Jerry was stationed at Mather Air Force Base in 1990. He worked as a Special Agent for the Office of Special Investigations until that base was closed and the couple moved to McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento, California. When he left the service, Jerry was hired as a police officer by the Eugene Police Department in 1994. He was attracted to Eugene because of its Japanese immersion school, Yujin Gakuen, just in case he and Tiffany had children. On January 4, 1999, their daughter Cadence was born. She was the love of his life. "Cadence" is a music and military term, close to the beat of his and Tiffany's hearts. He used to read to the children in her class when she brought him for show and tell in his uniform. They shared a little conspiratorial fun talking with each other in Japanese when mom was around. Recently, the family trained together at the US Tae Kwon Do College. Jerry also loved anything on two wheels and he and his family rode street bikes and dirt bikes. He made sure those machines were kept immaculate, the same care he took with his home and yard. Jerry took time for his many friends camping, hunting, fishing and riding. In 2003, he made a trek with friends to Sturgis, South Dakota, on his beloved Harley Davidson. That was the same year he was promoted to police sergeant. During his police career his supervisors agreed - he set the standard. He was highly decorated, although he hated the fanfare and tried to avoid it. He was a member of SWAT, had assignments with the Rapid Deployment Unit and Traffic Enforcement Unit, as well as the Eugene Police Honor Guard. He lived up to the George Orwell quotation: "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." Jerry was a gifted instructor, and he left a considerable legacy as a Field Training Officer for new recruits. Jerry practiced his love of teaching to others outside the police department. When he provided instruction at Lane Community College and U of O, what stood out was not only his knowledge of a particular subject, but also his gift for making the subject matter fun and real. He earned his own Bachelors of Arts in Business Management from the University of Phoenix online. He was a member of the Eugene Police Benevolent Association and past member of Oregon Narcotics Enforcement Association, North American Motor Officers Association, and Oregon Tactical Officers Association. Most recently Jerry was the Vice Narcotics Unit sergeant followed by Internal Affairs Sergeant before transitioning back to patrol, where he said he was finally doing what he loved best: serving alongside fellow officers, and making the city a safer place to live. He was quick to pick up on any excuse to cook or barbecue. Some of his specialties were bacon wrapped jalapenos, chili, and pumpkin cheesecake, which he liked to serve to the patrol teams he supervised. Jerry had a big heart and jumped into anything with both feet. He lived life with integrity, grit, honesty, dry sense of humor and a glint of fun in his eyes. It's not the destination but the journey and if you have to ask, you wouldn't understand. Jerry is survived by his mother and father; his wife, Tiffany, and daughter, Cadence; his brother Mark and his wife Kellie; two sisters and their husbands: Teri Vanderpol and her husband, Bob, and Wanda Stocke and husband, Steve; two nephews and two nieces. Other quotes he liked: "No man is above the law. No man is below it. Nor do we ask man's permission when we require him to obey it." ( Theodore Roosevelt) "Give me the strength to protect those who cannot protect themselves, the wisdom to serve my community to the best of my ability, and the courage to face whatever stands in the way." (Police Officers Prayer).