Gerald "Gerry" Wayne Ramey

Gerald "Gerry" Wayne Ramey, 61, of Lewiston and La Grande, died of a dissecting aortic aneurysm June 27. He was being treated at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane. A celebration of Gerry's life will begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Williams Conference Center on the Lewis-Clark State College campus.

He was born May 29, 1950, to Grady Ramey and Dorothy Thompson Ramey in Austin, Texas.

Gerry married Marsha Brock on Aug. 3, 1972, in Abilene, Texas. They had a daughter, Jenny, on June 29, 1975, and a son, Bill, on July 27, 1977.

Gerry graduated from Abilene High School in 1968. He then joined the Marines and served in Vietnam. After his military service, he received his BBA from North Texas State University in 1974. He received his MBA from University of Texas, Pan American in 1980, and then a Ph.D. in management from California Coast University in 1989.

He began his teaching career in Harlingen, Texas, at Texas State Technical Institute. In 1980, his family moved to Lewiston, Idaho, where he was a business professor at Lewis-Clark State College for 25 years.

For the last six years, he taught at Eastern Oregon University in La Grande. Throughout his career, he taught adjunct classes at various colleges and universities. In addition to his teaching, he did management consulting for businesses and organizations. He was involved in many professional organizations relating to higher education. He was a leader in various educational unions.

Gerry was a Fulbright Senior Scholar and Specialist. Through the Fulbright program, he taught in Romania and Namibia. He also presented at the Oxford Round Table at Oxford University in England.

Those who knew Gerry say he was passionate in all he did. A student and teacher of Tae Kwon Do, he earned trophies of his own while celebrating the achievements of those he taught. He was involved in Boy Scouts of America and was a director at Camp Grizzly. He was a musician who played guitar and wrote songs for his family and friends. He traveled to many places around the world for both business and pleasure, even going to Romania for Habitat for Humanity.

Gerry was a wine enthusiast and made his own wine with family and friends. He had recently begun walking half- marathons and was training for a full marathon. He believed in the pursuit of knowledge for himself and everyone around him. He was an avid reader and loved to read anything from textbooks to Louis L'Amour. Those who knew Gerry say he was an incredibly generous man and an advocate for human rights.

Gerry is survived by his wife, Marsha of Lewiston; two children, Jenny Twitchell and her husband, Bruce, of Hayden, Idaho, and Bill Ramey and his wife, Marin, of Portland; two granddaughters; his mother, Dorothy Ramey of San Antonio; one sister, Judy Savage of San Antonio; one sister-in-law, Amy Ramey of San Antonio; and several nieces and nephews in Texas.

He was preceded in death by his father, Grady; and his brother, Tom.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Gerald Ramey Memorial Scholarship at Lewis-Clark State College, College Advancement, 500 Eighth Ave., Lewiston, ID 83501.

Gifts in memory of Gerry Ramey can also be made out to the Eastern Oregon University Foundation (reference Ramey in memo line) at 1 University Blvd, La Grande 97850.

Sign the online guest book at www.vassar-rawls.com.