My brother Gerard Edmund Kelly – Born on July 4^th, 1956 and died December 7^th, 2004.  He was born and died on the two most significant days in United States’ military history.  I like to think there’s a special meaning here - an attachment to greatness. 

We being 10 kids he being number 6 and Tommy right between us.  Talk about Irish twins.  As adolescents we shared some good times and thanks to our older brother Michael we became mechanically and technically savvy.  It started with bicycles.  How fast could we go?  How strong could we make them?  Racing bikes and heavy duty’s.  Mostly Schwinn’s.  Jerry ordered a custom front sprocket with 69 teeth and found the smallest rear sprocket to create the largest ratio.  Every time you pedaled once the rear wheel would make two or more rotations.  Jerry wanted to pressurize the tires with water.  Although heavier than air, he believed once we got the momentum (of the water in the tires) going, it would keep going and require very little effort to sustain a much faster ride.

During my teenage years I shared three different homes with Jerry.  I also was Blessed to have been his electrician’s apprentice as we installed the electrical for swimming pools and spa’s all over San Diego.  Not long after that Jerry becomes a Construction Electrician in the Navy Sea Bees.  I become a helicopter pilot in the Army.  Jerry stayed for two years I stayed for 10.

By the time I got out Jerry married Lesa and now had three beautiful girls Jessie, Katie and Becky and were living in Lesa’s neck of the woods in the middle of nowhere 2 ½ hours west of Chicago.  He ends up working as an Engineer for the University of Northern Illinois maintaining their heating and air conditioning system.  I landed in Amelia Island, Florida.  Eighteen hours by car.

I with my ex-wife started a property management business.  This includes handyman type repairs of every kind.  Many of the repairs I was perfectly capable of making myself because of the education and training provided by Jerry.  But sometimes I couldn’t figure out which one was hot or neutral.  How many amps should the circuit breaker be?  Amps, volts resistance – He always had the answer and it always worked. 

Jerry also had projects at his house (and in the woods) which I will cover later.  He installed a wood burning boiler to subsidize the electric and gas bills.  This boiler kicks-in every time the water temperature in the house falls below a certain temperature.  Lesa was and is the one who dawns her coat and gloves to keep it going in the winter. 

With his projects and my job we spoke almost every single day on the telephone.  We stayed close.

Colon cancer.  14 months. Divorce.

Jerry gone and me starting over after my divorce I needed a new name for my business.  The Woods.  Beer Creek.  Bob, Craig, Dean, Nick and Jerry bought 20 acres further out in the middle of nowhere 25 years ago.  Each one of them got their own little camp ground.  Either Dean or Craig made very nice wooden signs for each of the entrances to the five campgrounds. 

Jerry’s is Cactus Patch.  While visiting Beer Creek for the annual July 4^th celebration, I asked why Cactus Patch?  Dean and Craig went on to spin the yarn only the way they can telling me they decided to call Jerry “Cactus” because he’s such a “little prick.”  Of course this is all in jest.  Jerry never raised his voice.  He never argued.  Laid back and full of peace and love.  Thus Cactus Patch for his camp site.

Jerry gone.  Me starting over.  I can’t think of a better name for my business.

This is such an insignificant gesture to remember and honor such a magnificent man, brother, husband, father, uncle, teacher.

He aint heavy – He’s my brother.

I miss him.