Geraldine "Jerry" Colvin

Geraldine (Jerry) Bates Colvin was born in Rigby, Idaho on October 24, 1932 to Alvin B. and Leone Mabel McMurtrey Bates and passed away May 29, 2017 in Idaho Falls. She was under the care of Hands of Hope Health and Hospice.

Jerry grew up in Rigby with her older sister Deoine until she was 9 years old and WWII broke out. It was then her father was deployed and they moved to Olympia, Washington near Fort Lewis for the duration of the War while her father was overseas. They moved back to Rigby in 1945.

Jerry graduated with honors from Rigby High School in 1951 and in 1952 went to work for the Atomic Energy Commission and then signed up with the Army as a civilian. She was sent to Japan for a year in 1954. It was there she met her future husband, James C. Colvin. They were later divorced.

Jerry worked at "The Site" for various contractors from 1955 until she retired as a senior administrator in 1995.

She became an honorary member of the National Search & Rescue Association in 1960, but she couldn't be a regular member because at that time you needed to belong to a search and rescue unit and Bonneville Jeep Patrol did not allow women to be members. When rules changed, she joined and served in most offices, both locally and nationally, becoming the first woman to be elected into the office of National Commander in 1991.

Jerry was a member of the International Association of Administrative Professionals, served on the Board of Directors for the Atomic Workers Credit Union, was an instructor for 55 Alive Driving Program, and Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Idaho Falls Senior Citizens' Community Center, just to name a few of the organizations she was involved in.

She always wanted to be a librarian and read and collected thousands of books. She was also an avid traveler and visited all 50 states and all 44 counties in Idaho. Jerry also visited the Panama Canal, Columbia, Mexico and Australia where she visited her nephew, Don Thompson in Tasmania.

Her later years found her still working, but this time at the Sr. Center, unless she was playing in a bridge marathon. She was loved and admired by everyone that knew her.

She is survived by her nephew, Don (Yabbo) Thompson of Tasmania and niece, Kay (Bill) Slavin of Carmen, ID. She was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Deoine (Tommy) Thompson; and nephew, Neal Thompson.

A celebration of Jerry's life will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday June 10, 2017 at the Idaho Falls Senior Citizens' Community Center, 535 W. 21st Street, Idaho Falls, ID. A light lunch will follow.

Memorial donations may be sent in memory of Jerry to the Senior Citizens’ Community Center at the above address.

Celebration of Life will be held