In Memory

Jerry Dustin

Jerry Lawrence Dustin, age 73 of Deer Lodge, Montana, passed away on June 7, 2021.

Services are pending at this time and will be announced when set.

Axelson Funeral and Cremation Services has been privileged to care for Jerry and his family.



 
go to bottom 
  Post Comment

07/27/17 12:26 PM #1    

James Jovanovich

I knew Jerry since we were morning paper boys in the eighth grade, we spent a lot of time together - riding motorcycles, hiking, shooting, anything outdoors. He was tough as nails, strong as a bull, and loved football.   He was a good and generous friend who'd give you the shirt off his back, with a gentle side and a surprising dry sense of humour. I have only one picture of him after all these years, taken in about 1970 while camping in April on the West Rosebud (camping - april- west rosebud? snow? yes, that white stuff is snow! ) with none other than our long time friend Morrie Goan:

Jerry had a schizophrenic episode a few years out of high school, he was hospitalized at Warm Springs for several months - Mike Baston, Dick Goan and I visited him there, he was a different person, heavily sedated,  anxious to get out. I am afraid that was the beginning of a long, slow,decline, Jerry sunk into a self destructive spiral of gambling, drugs and alcohol. The last time I saw him was in the early or mid 80's, he stopped for a night at my house in Bozeman.  He still had that wry sense of humour. He had a long switchblade knife, and he picked up on my girlfriend's unspoken "unease" with his seeming fascination with flipping open the blade and holding it in a ready, menacing position. He postured and puffed about how he needed the knife for self defense and had to be fast in pulling it, and continually needed to practice, which he did - enjoying the role he created. He went out gambling that night, in the morning he was gone, I found his indispensible knife stuck in a wooden beam - tacking up a scrap of paper on which he wrote "Thanks".

I wish I could have helped him more, and been a better friend. 


07/28/17 12:18 PM #2    

Bill Ehresman

I too spent some time around Jerry.  Almost all of it after high school and most of the time at a party of some sort.  Jim's comment on wishing he could have been a better friend really struck home to me.  I also wish I could have helped Jerry in some way.  Maybe being a friend is as good as we could do at the time.  


07/29/17 09:55 AM #3    

Sherry Cox

I'm sorry to say I don't remember Jerry, but I remember all you other guys in the posts - and what you say about wishing you could have been a better friend touched me too.  Wish I had been then, and intend to be now.  Looking forward to seeing you at the reunion. Sherry Cox


07/29/17 12:04 PM #4    

Dona Hicks (Lambrecht)

I do remember his face but never knew the person. I believe we were all a little caught up in our own safety nets back in the day, not realizing what we might gain if we opened our horizons just a little ~ all wishing now we could go back and "fix" it. We can't though, and I believe Sherri said it well ~ we just need to go forward being better than we were before. Be better friends, be more open to the oportunity to share ourselves outside of that comfort zone and be able to look back at our new journey with fewer regrets and many more smiles. 

smileyDona


07/29/17 10:12 PM #5    

Mick Diede

  I     too remember Jerry, played football beside for several years. Knew him away from football too, but you never really knew what was going on in his head. Last time I saw him was at the old Squire downtowns he was so out of he didn't know me, was very sad! Like Sherrie and Donna said we all can do better. Get out of our comfort zone and mke a difference in the world. The Lord can help us do that, Just a little effort is all it takes!

 


07/30/17 10:22 AM #6    

Dona Hicks (Lambrecht)

My husband Jack and his brother Al ran the Squire in the downtown location before building the one on the West end. It became a place where you realized the "bikers" were family right along with attorneys, doctors, laborers ~ everyone there for everyone. For me, it was an education in life. We are all children of God ~ through Him, all things are possible.  


07/30/17 04:11 PM #7    

Richard Thuesen

I remember Jerry I remember a party at Jims' house when we all got so drunk...... Jerry was being nuts trying to tip the refrigerator over and I tried to knock him out by hitting him in the head with a full can of crrisco, didn't work. I remember coach Peters called his house the snake pit and said we should stay away from there , my favorite place to be was with Jerry. I always felt safe. So many friends from school gone, hope to see them someday John 5:28.

Rich Thuesen

 


07/31/17 03:22 PM #8    

John Armstrong

My thanks to the previous posters. I had always wondered what happened to Jerry. I had heard some things but never really knew what was fact or fiction. I went to school with Jerry from Lincoln Jr High on through Senior High and agree that he was tough as nails and always a character. I remember him biting a chunk of wood out of a car port support timber at Mary Lou's Angle Inn. His older brother, Dick, was always a nice guy and I used to see him around Billings but lost touch with him many years ago. Mental illness and especially schizophrenia is so hard to understand and most families are unable to cope with its effects on their loved ones. 


08/08/17 03:42 PM #9    

Dan Reno

I to remember Jerry from Lincoln and Senior.  If you were his friend there was nothing he would not do for you.  I did  not know about his troubles.  RIP Jerry 


go to top 
  Post Comment

 




agape