Poops

Gerts “Jerry” Tarshis lost his battle with cancer on Sunday, September 2, 2012. He was 72. Jerry spent his last days surrounded by his family and loved ones. At his request, no service will be held. 

Our wedding, with Sonja & Doron, 2002

Jerry was born on December 24, 1939 in Khabarovsk in the USSR to Vera and Ruvim Tarshis. He grew up in Lvov, where he graduated from university and later worked as a pharmaceutical engineer. It was there that he met his first wife, Rima, and had his only child, Elizaveta. The family immigrated to Los Angeles in 1974. He and Rima divorced shortly thereafter, and he began a successful career as an art dealer and custom framer. 

Russian River, 2010 

In 1990, Jerry met the love of his life, Sonja, an attorney. After happily living in sin for more than 14 years, they finally tied the knot in 2004. The couple retired in 2006 and moved to Albany, Oregon where he could fulfill his dreams of living the rural life. The couple spent the next six years happily tending to fruit trees, berry bushes and myriad vegetable boxes full of wonderful things.

Russian River, 2011 

Jerry was a beloved father and husband, an artist, poet, mentor, world-class host and gardener, and an inspiration to everyone who knew him. He is mourned by his wife, Sonja Tarshis; daughter and son-in-law, Elizaveta and Joshua Engel; step-son and daughter-in-law, Doron and Cheryl Wallace-Amiran; grandson, Dashiell Engel; brother, Valery Tarshis; and cousin and her husband, Elena and Ilya Vekselman. He was preceded in death by his nephew, Roma Tarshis, and step-son, Roger Amiran.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in his name to the Jewish National Fund Tree Planting Center, 800-542-8733.

Our wedding, 2002