I remember Jerry well from grade school, Wightman, where we were friendly, not much from Allderdice. I heard about his death years ago, third hand, don't remember from who, but that he was killed in Southern California, forced to take a lethal injection after a drug deal gone wrong. I don't know if anyone can verify this terrible story. But it is a reminder that many of us have gone through many difficult and strange times in the last 50 years, and now again.
It is funny how a story changes when it travels from person to person and with the passage of time. I was very friendly with Jerry in 6th grade at Wightman. He was funny and fun to be around. He got along with everybody. But, he always lacked impulse control and did not think things through.
He became a terrible junkie (maybe the "terrible" adjective is unnecessary). I have been a Type 1 diabetic since 1965. Jerry passed in 1968 when we were all 19 years old. Sometime within a year of that event, maybe several months before, Jerry came over to my house asking that I be his "point man", meaning that he wanted me to save all of my used disposable insulin needles for him to pick up from time to time. From his demeanor, I surmised that this was not going to be a choice on my part. I was also aware that the home of Dr. Mike Rosenbloom, which was four doors from mine, had been broken into a couple of times by people looking for drugs and drug paraphernalia, so I acquiesced.
Jerry dropped by unannounced every now and then at which times I would give him a small bag of used needles. He may well have died with one of them in his arm. I mention that as an aside as I did not then and do not now feel any guilt for my actions or any responsibility for Jerry's death. He was going to shoot up and probably meet an early death regardless of me.
Jerry died in a home in the Topanga Canyon section of Los Angeles that he was renting that summer with a friend from Allderdice who was also a junkie. One of my older brothers was friendly with that friend. As I recall the situation, the friend and Jerry had an argument and the friend left the rented home to stay elsewhere for a few days. When the friend returned to the rented home, he found Jerry dead with the needle in his arm. The cause of death was "hot" heroin, a dosage that contained a higher percentage of pure heroin than Jerry expected. A not uncommon death for a junkie. Over the years, I never heard any mention of a drug deal gone bad.
That's a sad story from Bruce about Jerry. My memory of Jerry will always be of dancing with him in Kari (Karen) Fischer's basement in 8th or 9th grade. He was a good dancer. We all thought we were very cool, but Jerry was a bit cooler (rebellious?) than the rest of us. Sue Hoechstetter
When Jerry passed my sister Linda was married to his brother Joel. I can remember how it destroyed his mom Bea. The entire family was in shock. His mom had tried so very hard to help Jerry overcome his addiction but he would be clean for a bit and then regress. We all tried to talk him out of going to California, but to no avail. Bruce's recollection of what transpired is exactly right. I have such fond memories of Jerry and the time I was lucky enough to spend with him. It has been such a long time since he is gone but I'm still in touch with his sister Esther. It's amazing how we can laugh at some of our fondest memories .
Daniel Leighton
I remember Jerry well from grade school, Wightman, where we were friendly, not much from Allderdice. I heard about his death years ago, third hand, don't remember from who, but that he was killed in Southern California, forced to take a lethal injection after a drug deal gone wrong. I don't know if anyone can verify this terrible story. But it is a reminder that many of us have gone through many difficult and strange times in the last 50 years, and now again.
peace, Dan Leighton
Bruce Levenson
It is funny how a story changes when it travels from person to person and with the passage of time. I was very friendly with Jerry in 6th grade at Wightman. He was funny and fun to be around. He got along with everybody. But, he always lacked impulse control and did not think things through.
He became a terrible junkie (maybe the "terrible" adjective is unnecessary). I have been a Type 1 diabetic since 1965. Jerry passed in 1968 when we were all 19 years old. Sometime within a year of that event, maybe several months before, Jerry came over to my house asking that I be his "point man", meaning that he wanted me to save all of my used disposable insulin needles for him to pick up from time to time. From his demeanor, I surmised that this was not going to be a choice on my part. I was also aware that the home of Dr. Mike Rosenbloom, which was four doors from mine, had been broken into a couple of times by people looking for drugs and drug paraphernalia, so I acquiesced.
Jerry dropped by unannounced every now and then at which times I would give him a small bag of used needles. He may well have died with one of them in his arm. I mention that as an aside as I did not then and do not now feel any guilt for my actions or any responsibility for Jerry's death. He was going to shoot up and probably meet an early death regardless of me.
Jerry died in a home in the Topanga Canyon section of Los Angeles that he was renting that summer with a friend from Allderdice who was also a junkie. One of my older brothers was friendly with that friend. As I recall the situation, the friend and Jerry had an argument and the friend left the rented home to stay elsewhere for a few days. When the friend returned to the rented home, he found Jerry dead with the needle in his arm. The cause of death was "hot" heroin, a dosage that contained a higher percentage of pure heroin than Jerry expected. A not uncommon death for a junkie. Over the years, I never heard any mention of a drug deal gone bad.
Susan Hoechstetter
That's a sad story from Bruce about Jerry. My memory of Jerry will always be of dancing with him in Kari (Karen) Fischer's basement in 8th or 9th grade. He was a good dancer. We all thought we were very cool, but Jerry was a bit cooler (rebellious?) than the rest of us. Sue Hoechstetter
Judy Canter (Pottgen)
When Jerry passed my sister Linda was married to his brother Joel. I can remember how it destroyed his mom Bea. The entire family was in shock. His mom had tried so very hard to help Jerry overcome his addiction but he would be clean for a bit and then regress. We all tried to talk him out of going to California, but to no avail. Bruce's recollection of what transpired is exactly right. I have such fond memories of Jerry and the time I was lucky enough to spend with him. It has been such a long time since he is gone but I'm still in touch with his sister Esther. It's amazing how we can laugh at some of our fondest memories .