Our Papa JerBear, Jerald Arthur Vincent, suddenly and unexpectedly passed away from natural causes in his Dallas, Texas home on September 2, 2020. He was 53.
Jerry entered this world on December 10, 1966 in Salt Lake City, where he was lovingly adopted and raised by his parents, Gerald Arthur Vincent Sr. and Rosemary Vincent (Chiazzese). In his early 20s, he was able to reconnect with his birth mother, Marilyn. Jerry loved growing up in an Italian family, but also enjoyed researching and connecting with his biological relatives.
Jerry married the mother of his children, Elizabeth, in April 1990. They were married for 26 years and raised two children together. While their marriage ended in divorce, they maintained a warm, close friendship.
Jerry was the proud father of two children, Alyssa and Nicholas. He worked hard to provide happy childhood memories for his family, and strived to teach them the value of hard work and persistence. Jerry’s fatherly advice and fun-loving disposition will be greatly missed.
While he only got to experience the joys of being a grandpa for one short year, Jerry adored his twin grandsons. He never let distance come between spoiling “#PapaJerBearsBoys.” He loved to send surprises in the mail, and frequently said receiving pictures of his grandbabies was the highlight of his day.
Jerry passionately served Smith’s Food and Drug, and later, its parent company, Kroger, for 38 years. He started as a grocery bagger at the age of 15 and worked his way up the company ladder, serving in various management roles along the way. Jerry’s family has been touched by the memories his colleagues have reached out to share, with many describing him as a caring friend, strong leader and sharp mentor.
Jerry lovingly leaves behind his children, Alyssa (Darren) and Nicholas (Carlee); his grandchildren, Carter and Everett; his former wife and mother of his children, Beth; his siblings, Christine, Anthony and Stacey; his birth mother; Marilyn; and countless close friends.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Gerald Sr. (dec. 2014) and Rosemary (dec. 2016).
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Oct. 4, 2020 at the American Fork Outdoor Amphitheater (851 E. 700 N. American Fork, UT). A livestream of the service can be viewed via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89702909225 Meeting ID: 897 0290 9225
In lieu of flowers (and in honor of Jerry’s grocery career), the family requests that a donation be made to the Utah Food Bank or the North Texas Food Bank.