Gerald "Jerry" W. Estepp's Obituary
ESTEPP, Gerald “Jerry” W., age 88, of Spring Valley and formerly of Washington Township, passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by loved ones on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. He was a devoted husband to Carolyn and a loving father to Jenny, Andy, Casey, and Tori.
Born on January 15, 1937, in Portsmouth, Ohio, Jerry spent most of his adolescence in West Carrollton, Ohio, where he attended West Carrollton High School and played on the varsity basketball team with his best friend, Ronny Myers.
Jerry was blessed with a rare sense of clarity in what he wanted to do with his life, along with the determination and perseverance to pursue it fully. At age 10, he wrote in his diary that he wanted to be an engineer and a pilot, which he eventually accomplished and excelled at to the best of his ability, which he enjoyed every moment of. Guided by his childhood dreams, he earned a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering from the University of Cincinnati in 1960, a master’s degree in business administration in R&D Management/Marketing from Wright State University in 1982, and became a graduate from both the Air War and Defense System Management Colleges.
Believing that he could design planes more proficiently if he knew how to fly them, Jerry joined the Ohio Air National Guard in 1963 and completed undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance AFB in Enid, Oklahoma, in June 1964. He then was sent to Luke AFB in Phoenix, Arizona, where he completed F-100 Combat Crew Training in 1968. Jerry served with the 178th Tactical Fighter Group as a fighter pilot and Chief of Intelligence before transferring to the Air Force Reserve IMA program at Wright Laboratory in 1985. He later retired from the Air Force Reserve as a Colonel.
Jerry accumulated more than thirty years of Air Force civilian engineering and program management experience, during which he acted as a preliminary fighter designer in developing the F-15, F-16, A-10, and F-22. He then cultivated fifteen years of experience in the aerospace industry, working for and consulting with a multitude of major aerospace companies, including Lockheed Martin and EADS. In 1988, Jerry joined Lockheed Martin as a Senior Marketing Representative and also served as Manager of Technology and Advanced Development Programs. Later, he shifted his career to another consulting firm, Aerospace Business Development Associates (ABDA), in 1998, where he consulted with many aerospace companies including Harris, General Atomics, General Electric, and General Dynamics.
Jerry’s core was pure from the very beginning of his life to the very end. Along with his childhood aspirations of becoming a pilot and engineer, he always strived to do a good deed every day. Loving, kind, easygoing, steadfast, always positive, and generous, Jerry was intelligent and skilled, yet extremely humble with a servant’s heart. He was content, comfortable with who he was, and remained the constant calm in the room. Always putting his family first, his most cherished memories were falling in love and growing old with Carolyn, embracing Jenny as she ran into his arms as a little girl, watching history documentaries and visiting the Air Force Museum with Andy, knowing that Casey loved him and hearing her call him Dad, watching Tori grow up and playing catch in the backyard, and caring for the many wonderful animals that were a part of his family. Jerry also treasured his many moments with his lifelong friends, Bill and Paige Fawns and Lynne and Glenn Cheatwood, with whom he and Carolyn found deep fellowship with and formed laughter-filled memories.
Sharing his heart and home was a source of immense joy for Jerry—it was an opportunity to express his love and extend the goodness that God blessed him with. Over the course of twenty- eight years at their house on Clyo Road, Jerry and his family always opened their home to group gatherings and those in need. In 2001, Jerry and Carolyn carried on their tradition of hospitality when they moved to Bellbrook, Ohio. During their twenty-three years “atop the old ski hill,” they invited more than forty people to live with them—each staying for at least three months, and many for a year or more, including seventeen foreign exchange students whom Jerry affectionately referred to as his “children from around the world.”
Jerry’s deep faith and devotion to God was the foundation and center of his life. After surrendering to Jesus at age 39, he dedicated his life in service to God and delighted in studying, reading, and teaching the Bible. Throughout his spiritual journey, he attended Centerville Community Church for over thirty years, where he served as an Elder, Bible teacher, and Building Chairman of the church’s original building. He later found community at Lighthouse Baptist Church of Xenia, where he served as an Elder and Life Group Leader for the last thirteen years. On top of his church commitments, he led a Tuesday night Bible study for over forty years, whose members have become like family.
Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, Hobert and Edna Estepp; and his brother, Robert Estepp. He is survived by his wife of fifty-eight years, Carolyn; four children, Jennifer Estepp, Andrew Estepp, Casey (Michael) Bricker, and Tori Estepp; seventeen additional children from around the world, Jose (Spain), Havar (Norway), Alex (Germany), Gustaf (Sweden), Matteo A. (Italy), Matt (Colorado), Luca (Switzerland), JiSoo (Indonesia), Victor (Brazil), Max (Finland), Stella (China), Mihajlo (Macedonia), Christian (Denmark), Stephan (Austria), Margarita (Norway), Nathalie (Brazil), and Matteo D. (Italy); and six nephews, Bob (Donna) Estepp, Steve (Gerri) Estepp, Scott Estepp, David (Brenda) Estepp, Greg (Joelle) Dudrow, Texas, Donald (Mary) Dudrow, Cincinnati; and many great nephews and nieces.
Funeral services will be held at 12 pm on Friday, April 25, 2025, at Lighthouse Baptist Church of Xenia, followed by the burial in Bellbrook Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 10 am to 12 pm at the church. Conner & Koch Funeral Home in Bellbrook is serving the family. If desired, contributions may be made to the Lighthouse Baptist Church Missions. Condolences at www.connerandkoch.com.
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