Gerry became a good friend of mine after high school. I introduced him to a friend of mine whom he married. Gerry was a real jokester and between him and Mike Cloud, his wife Kathy and I were always in stiches. He was a gifted guy in many ways and is missed.

Gerry Carper was the new boy from Knoxville, Iowa who joined our Red Oak fifth-grade class, and it was instantly obvious that he was a superior athlete and leader in every sport. As the oldest child in a large family he no doubt understood the teamwork it took to get through each day and that everyone was equal and deserved respect. Classmates for five years, including senior math at DHS, I saw the disciplined daily effort he put into his academics. From his educator father he understood that proper concentration on his classwork was the priority that would permit him to pursue athletics to a high level: football and basketball star at DHS and varsity football at Illinois State.

Gerry.........the loyal, patient, strong silent friend, on and off the court and in my mind forever.