Jeri Karen Thomson left our world on January 8, 2025 at her home in Fortuna. She succumbed to cancer with her husband, Jim “Dellie” Thomson, at her side.

Jeri Harbers was born in Chicago on November 10, 1945 to a young sailor returning from World War II and his new wife, who he had met in Chicago after he returned from the war. The new family along with their little girl and her full head of beautiful red curls soon relocated to her father’s hometown of Fortuna.

Jeri was a stereotypical first born. She was smart, precocious, and well behaved. Her mischievous behavior became apparent when she took delight in dressing her little brother, Bruce, as a girl. She was more mature when at age 8 her sister, Vicki, was born. She was a second mom to Vicki whom she helped raise, mentor, and even taught her to sew her own clothes. She supported her little sister through every path of her life.

A graduate of Fortuna Union High School in 1963, Jeri took the big step at 17 years old to attend San Francisco State University. But a college degree at this stage of her life was not in the cards. She brought her new husband, Clay Sollers, back to Fortuna and they raised their two young sons, Glenn and Keith there.

After some years and a divorce, Jeri reunited with her best friend from kindergarten. He was her soon-to-be husband, Jim. Their attraction was still foremost and present after 27 years. They married in 1979 and also made their home in Fortuna. As an insurance broker, she joined the family business, Harbers Insurance Agency. Typical of the Harbers offspring, Jeri sought a life outside of the insurance business. Jeri had the gift of creativity and she was very talented. She opened Heather Boutique where she sold her own crocheted creations along with other women’s clothing.

She later studied to be a paralegal and worked with an attorney in Eureka. Following a long-time interest in Anthropology, she obtained a degree in Anthropology at Humboldt State University. She always wanted to learn and was a prodigious reader with knowledge of many subjects. Jeri was naturally very smart. Even though she eventually obtained a college degree, it was foreshadowed by a natural inherent intelligence. She enjoyed doing word puzzles, anything that would challenge her. Jeri was also a talented artist. Not many knew of her talents because she didn’t share her artwork. Probably because of a lack of confidence she was not interested in sharing her creations with a wider audience.

She will be desperately missed by her family. It was also very important to Jeri that she keep in touch with her childhood friends. She will be missed by those friends and her friends and neighbors whom she cared so much about in Fortuna.

Jeri was born to Gerald and Dawn Harbers, both deceased. She is survived by her husband, James Delwin (Dellie) Thomson; her two sons, Glenn Sollers of Phoenix, Arizona and Keith Sollers of Ithaca, New York; Bruce Harbers and his wife, Jane, of Seattle, Washington.; and her sister, Vicki Clague, her husband, Jim of Reno, Nevada, and her favorite nephew, Jackson Clague.

No funeral services will be held.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Jeri Thomson’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.