Born September 24, 1933 – Died March 25, 2025, in McKinleyville, Calif., at the age of 91 years, 6 months, and 1 day.

Jerry was born in Arcata, CA, to Earl Louis and Ardis Geraldine (Hunt) Spellenberg. He was the second of two children, having an older sister named Patricia (Patsy). His father, Earl, had a variety of careers. He was a gold miner with partner P.C. Sacchi at the Forks of the Salmon, a bookkeeper for P.C. Sacchi Chevrolet, worked as an equipment operator during the construction of the Eureka/Arcata airport, and briefly owned a dry-cleaning business (Arcata Drycleaners). Earl died of a brain tumor when Jerry was only 13 years old.

His mother, Geraldine, widowed at a young age, opened and operated a café in North Arcata called Geraldine’s Café. The building was later torn down during the construction of the freeway through Arcata. Jerry helped his mom and sister Patsy at the café after school by washing dishes. When his mother remarried Frank Gianoni, a baker at Tatman’s Bakery, Jerry worked part-time in the bakery while attending college.

Jerry attended primary grades at College Elementary School on the Humboldt State University campus and Arcata High School, graduating in 1951. He attended Humboldt State University (now known as Cal Poly Humboldt), graduating with a degree in business. He had originally wanted to be a teacher but decided against it after completing student teaching. After graduation, he took a job with the City of Arcata in the water and sewer department, digging ditches and performing similar work.

In 1956, his sister-in-law Norma told him about an opening at Caltrans for a Right of Way Agent position in the Eureka office (District 1). He interviewed and was hired. Jerry started as a Junior Right of Way Agent, was promoted to Associate, and eventually to Senior Right of Way Agent, overseeing the appraisal and acquisitions functions. While working in District 1, he appraised and acquired rights of way throughout Lake, Mendocino, Del Norte, and Humboldt counties.

In 1978, he accepted a position in the Sacramento headquarters office in Planning and Management. In 1986, he was promoted to Supervising Right of Way Agent and moved back to District 1 to manage the Right of Way staff until his retirement in 1992.

Jerry was a firm believer in the 7 P’s: Prior Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance. You did not darken his doorway until you had completed your research and presented a proposed solution to the problem.

Jerry descended from hearty pioneer stock. His maternal grandfather, A.N. Hunt, was an early settler in Humboldt County, relocating there in 1886 from Sierra County to begin ranching. Prior to that, A.N. Hunt was a teamster, delivering timbers to the gold mines. Once he saved enough money, he moved to Arcata, purchased 40 acres on the Arcata Bottom (off Mad River Road), and began ranching.

Jerry’s mother, Geraldine, was the youngest daughter of A.N. and Mary Ann (Robinson) Hunt. His paternal grandfather, Patrick Henry Spellenberg, was born in Sierra County to a German immigrant, Johann George Spellenberg, and his Irish wife, Mary Ann (Quigley) Spellenberg. Johann George, born in 1827 in Heidenheim, Germany, immigrated to New York in 1849 and eventually made his way west to Sierra County. He married Mary Ann in 1855. He was a gold miner and died in a mining accident in 1878 at age 50.

Patrick later married Ida Mae Fischer of Sierra City before migrating to Humboldt County around 1918. We often wondered if A.N. Hunt and Patrick Spellenberg knew each other prior to moving to Arcata. Patrick owned a saloon in Sierra City called P.H. Spellenberg’s Saloon. The saloon burned down, but a photo of it still exists at Bassett’s Restaurant and Saloon near Sierra City. Patrick and Ida Mae had five children: Tilly (who died in infancy), Irene, Earl, Lester, and Homer. Jerry’s father was Earl L. Spellenberg.

Jerry met his wife, Barbara, at a dance at the Loleta Firemen’s Hall in December 1952. His sister-in-law Julia introduced them after deciding he was not the one for her. Barbara had just turned eighteen the week before the dance. Jerry married Barbara A. Papke on June 19, 1955. They celebrated 67 years of marriage in June 2022 before Barbara passed away on August 21, 2022.

They had a wonderful life together. Every summer, Jerry would take Barbara and their four children—plus a friend or cousin—to his Uncle Russ’s ranch at Shower’s Rock, where they would stay for two weeks in late August. We often stayed in the Shower’s Rock cabin (the old Wagner cabin) or at the Spellenberg family property known as Rottenwood. We camped in an old WWII army surplus tent. Jerry would join us on weekends after work, while Mom and the kids stayed the rest of the time. We had wonderful times riding horses, fishing, floating down the Mad River, and playing cards.

Jerry, his sons, and his cousin Al Taylor helped rebuild the old cabin by replacing the rotted foundation, residing it with shingles, and installing a new tin roof. Jerry had hunting privileges there, along with a group of hunting friends and relatives of Russell’s. They paid for the materials to repair the cabin. After Uncle Russ passed away, Jerry, his boys, former son-in-law Mark Sundberg, and cousin Al Taylor built the Rottenwood cabin and tool shed on the property. We spent weekends and vacations there from around Memorial Day through early November. Due to Dad’s health issues this past year, he was only able to make one trip in 2024.

After Jerry retired, he and Barbara took a road trip around the western United States, visited Baja, Mexico, with friends (camping in travel trailers), visited Hawaii with in-laws Norma and her husband Bill, made several trips to Germany to visit Barbara’s cousins near Frankfurt and to attend reunions with Jerry’s distant cousins near the Black Forest, and toured Guatemala with daughter Lisa and friends.

Their last big trip was for their 60th wedding anniversary, traveling by cruise ship to Alaska with the family. After Mom passed, Dad joined her Friday night ladies’ dinner group with cousin Peggy and friends Shirley, Joy, Cathy, Judy, Gaylyn, and Janet, as well as daughters Lisa and Lesley. He became the rooster in the henhouse. Jerry had a wicked sense of humor—when asked why he was attending ladies’ night, he replied, “I’m transitioning.”

Jerry kept up with his Arcata High School Class of 1951 by organizing monthly lunches. His last lunch, before breaking his hip, was in October 2024. His class maintained this tradition for 73 years. He also enjoyed the monthly lunches, summer picnics, and annual Christmas parties with his Hunt cousins—a tradition started years ago by his grandmother Hunt.

Jerry was a member of the Eureka Elks Lodge and the Buckeye Society for many years. He was also a long-time member and supporter of the Humboldt County Historical Society.

Jerry is survived by his four children: Lisa (Steve), Lesley (Arron), James (Teena), and Gerald Louis (Debbie); his seven grandchildren: Mark (Sammee), Stacy (Mike), Rachelle (Larry), Jamee, Jessica (Robert), Jason, and Katie (Rob); and his seven great-grandchildren: Aria, Melina, Daxton, Blythe, Carter, Granger, and Parker.

He is also survived by Barbara’s two sisters, Julia (John) DeMartini and Norma Dye; his nieces and nephews: Michele, Paul, Jean, Angela, Jack, Cathy, Eric, Jeff, Denise, Robert, Carrie, Penny, and Sandy; his first cousins Richard (Naida) Spellenberg and Steven (Sarah) Spellenberg and their children; his numerous Hunt cousins; and friends he considered adopted family: Becky Alsup, Helen Edwards, and Mike Rhodes.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Barbara; his parents, Earl and Geraldine Spellenberg; his sister, Patricia; his in-laws, Erwin and Anna Papke; his brothers-in-law, William Papke (aka Uncle Buddy) and Bill Dye; and his niece Dana. He was the last living grandchild of A.N. and Mary Ann Hunt.

We are deeply grateful to Hospice of Humboldt for their compassionate care, unwavering support, and kindness during Dad’s final days. We would also like to thank his caregivers: Jill, Dan, Indigo, Bernardino, Elijah, Michelle, and Jackie. This team of caregivers treated Jerry like family—with love and respect. We appreciate all you did for him in his final days.

At Jerry’s request, no funeral service or memorial will be held. The family will spread his ashes alongside our mom’s at the family cabin on Rottenwood Ranch later this summer.

Please remember the good times you enjoyed with Jerry. He loved a good martini and a glass of red wine—so the next time you lift a glass, think of him.

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