Gerald “Jerry” Lee Issler was born May 29, 1934, to Sam and Doris Issler in Oakes, N.D. He grew up in the Plummer/St. Maries area and attended school in Plummer, Idaho. He passed away peacefully Oct. 14, 2022, at the age of 88.
Jerry married Iris Henriksen, of Harrison, Idaho, in 1955, and they had two children, Deborah and Dustin Issler. Jerry and Iris divorced in the early ’90s, and Jerry reconnected with Diane Paluso from Grangeville in the early 2000s. Diane and Jerry lived together as life partners and companions for nearly two decades.
Jerry’s first job was on the family homestead, though most of his career was spent working for Jensen-Byrd. He also owned One Shot Charlie’s bar and grill in Harrison, from the ’80s into the early 2000s. There, he played music and sang on the bandstand each weekend, often inviting friends to join him with their fiddles and guitars. Through One Shot’s, he sponsored a fishing derby for the kids of Harrison and an annual golf tournament.
After retirement, Jerry lived in Harrison, St. Maries and Rathdrum; some of his best memories were from his time in Culdesac, where he and Diane lived before settling in Lewiston.
Jerry loved watermelon, black licorice and trips to the casino. His favorite hobbies were playing country-western music, gardening, fishing, hunting and golfing.
He played music well into retirement, and though he mostly played keyboard and sang, he was known to play bass guitar, upright bass and accordion, too. He set up a recording studio at home to make CDs of his music for the family. He played at the Elks Lodge and the Eagles Club in St. Maries, bartending when he wasn’t entertaining, and he and Phil Reed played music at the Life Care Center in Lewiston and the Senior Citizen Hall in Clarkston, too. Music kept him young.
He golfed with many friends and family members during his lifetime, but some of his favorite golfing buddies were his son, Dustin, and his grandson, Matt. When hunting season arrived, Jerry would often return to his family homestead to hunt with his brothers, and later, his son. Winchester Lake was his favorite fishing spot, and as he aged, he was happy to watch as his great-grandchildren cast their reels and catch fish there, too. Jerry’s garden was a thing of pride and he loved showing it off to visitors. He grew vegetables, but he liked flowers, too. He maintained many planter beds around his home, and it wasn’t unusual to see flowers sticking out of an old bucket or a worn-out pair of his cowboy boots.
Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, Sam Issler and Doris Telford; his older brother, Sammy Issler; his younger half-brother, Mike Telford; and his dogs, Pepper and Sophie. He is survived by his partner, Diane Paluso; his sister, Mary (Murl) Sines; his sister-in-law, Marcie Telford; his two children, Debbie Issler and Dustin (JuliAnn) Issler; his five grandchildren, Lindsey (Zac) Barber, Kami (Rodney) Rupp, Matt (Vanessa Elsner) Routh, Lucas Issler and Austin Issler; his eight great-grandchildren, Kaden, Kellen, Khloe, Lauren, Alice, Harrison, Olivia and Donnie; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
A celebration of Jerry’s life will be held in spring 2023.
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