Tributes

Gerald Lee Kimmons was born on July 29, 1937 in Vincennes, IN and passed away on May 12, 2025 in Fresno, CA. He is preceded in death by his father, Henry Boyd Kimmons, mother, Edith McKee Wallingford, grandmother, Stella Lane Kimmons, grandfather, Herbert L. Kimmons, brother, Doyle Wayne Kimmons, and Delores Kimmons. He is survived by his daughter, Debbie Hansen and son in law, Curtis Hansen, and his son, Gary Kimmons and daughter in law Felicia Kimmons, and four grandchildren. Gerald was raised in the small community of Vincennes, IN. He spent his later high school years living with his beloved grandmother, Stella Kimmons and began to work in construction with a local contractor during those years. During his school years he also enjoyed activities at the local YMCA, participated in Boy Scouts for years, and enjoyed playing basketball in high school. Gerald entered the United States Air Force following high school where he truly enjoyed serving his country for four years. He met and married, Delores Schwartz during his time in the Air Force. Gerald served in the Fresno Air National Guard following his time in the Air Force during his college years at California State University of Fresno. Gerald and Delores made their home in Fresno, CA during this time and began their family and transitioned between his home state of Indiana and her home state of California throughout their lives. Gerald truly enjoyed learning and his education at CSU Fresno graduating in the field of Industrial Technology and later was invited to teach in the industrial technology department there part time. The rest of his career up into his 80’s he spent in construction, both residential and commercial, real estate, and as a building inspector. One of his favorite commercial projects he worked on supervising in Fresno was the Fresno Surgery Center. He truly loved flying airplanes and space travel and worked hard to obtain his private pilot license and enjoyed a small airplane sales business operated from Fresno Chandler Executive Airport for a time. Gerald and Delores also owned and operated a couple of small diners and a pizza restaurant during their times in Indiana. He preferred to be busy even after he could no longer work and spent countless hours the last few years doing hundreds of puzzles of pictures he enjoyed. Gerald loved art and some of his favorite artists were Terry Redlin and Jerry Baum, a local watercolor artist from his Indiana community and he enjoyed framing his own completed puzzles in these later years. Gerald was such a hardworking man all of his life and filled with determination, perseverance-don’t quit or give up, a deep and creative thinker, a learner. He blessed our family in many ways he himself didn’t get to experience including: family trips, attending his children’s events, helping Gary get his helicopter license, helping his children get started by helping them with purchasing their first cars and helping them build their first homes. He is dearly loved and will be greatly missed.

Tributes

Gerald Lee Kimmons

July 29, 1937 - May 12, 2025