John "Jerry" Lett

With his warm, sarcastically funny, and vibrant personality, John “Jerry” Lett was so much fun to be around. He was a man of great wisdom who always seemed to know the best way to handle things with a spirit of generosity that was unmatched. Jerry was a dedicated family man who loved being surrounded by his loved ones whenever he could. Accompanied by a strong work ethic, he was devoted to his work, which was an important part of his life throughout his entire journey. Jerry will be deeply missed while his memory is forever cherished.

John was born September 12, 1954, the youngest of four children born to his parents, Oliver and Norma (Glenn) Lett, and he was raised in the family home on North Avenue, NE alongside his three siblings, Jim, Sandy, and Diana. His sister took to calling him Jerry as a young boy, which stuck as his name within his family for the rest of his life.

As a young boy Jerry was a bustle of activity. He loved being outdoors and having fun, which translates into finding his share of mischief at times as well. Jerry loved fishing with his dad, and the pair often went out to Ada to fish. As a student he attended East Leonard Elementary during his earliest years and went on to graduate from Central High School as a young man.

Throughout his life John worked hard in a few different industries. His first job was working for his grandfather with Grand Rapids Heavy Movers. From there he worked for several local meat packaging companies over the years including Kent Meats, Thornapple Valley, and VandenBrink. At first John worked as an operator, but he later got into maintenance. Since he had a knack for fixing things, one of his employers encouraged him along as he became an electrician. John was also a proud supporter of his local union. He changed jobs one last time as he has spent the last 10 years working as the Operations Facility Supervisor for the Kent County Sheriff Department. Since working with his hands was something he was good at John enjoyed his work. He also took great pride in his work and it showed. John’s hard work didn’t go unnoticed as he was named employee of the year a few years ago. While he was busy working hard, John was married to a young woman named Nancy. Although the marriage ended after about five years, he was grateful for the births of their two sons, Craig and Brian.

Family was always very important to Jerry. He spent quite a bit of time with his nephews who were more like brothers. At times Jerry’s sisters helped him out when he needed a place to stay, but it worked out well for everyone as he was more than willing to help them out with various projects. He was consistently willing to lend a hand whether he was fixing something or just providing a listening ear and offering wise advice. People knew that Jerry was the one to call as he always seemed to know what to do. At times he could just be found playing cards with his family. Later on Jerry married Judy, and to their marriage she brought her two daughters. Together they were blessed with the birth of their son, Marc. Jerry was deeply saddened with Judy’s death about seven years later.

Always one to keep busy, Jerry had something going on all the time. He continually had a project or two, which were often more than he could finish, but his intentions were always admirable. Much of the time he could be found working on cars including his Maverick and Ford Courier. Jerry enjoyed his CB radio, his handle was "GR Judge", and this interest later gave way to hours spent listening to his police scanner. If he heard of an incident nearby, he often drove by to check it out. Beginning in the 1980s, Jerry took an interest in computers. He loved watching NASCAR and cheering on his favorite driver, Kasey Kahne. Jerry was a proud supporter of Michigan State University sports, and watched baseball games every night. As his family can attest, Jerry never missed an episode of Duck Dynasty and loved his scratch off lottery tickets. He liked to cook for family gathering alongside his brother-in-law, Lee, with chop suey and kielbasa being among his favorites to make.

Life was never boring when Jerry was around. He was sarcastic and a practical joker who loved making people laugh, and he was also able to laugh at himself. Jerry had quirky nicknames for all of his family members, too.

Funny, full of life, and helpful are just a few of the traits that made John “Jerry” Lett such an incredible man to know and love. Life was a party when he was around, and he was the sort of person who would give the shirt off his back to someone who needed it. Jerry could usually be found wearing a hat, and everyone knew he was available at any time. He will never be forgotten.

John "Jerry" Lett, age 59 of Comstock Park, passed away July 27, 2014. He was preceded in death by his parents, Oliver and Norma Lett; his son, Brian Scott Lett; his wife, Judy Lett; and his nephew Norm Cardinel. John is survived by his sons, Craig and Marc Lett; stepdaughters Ivy Hubscher and Heather Baez; several grandchildren; siblings Jim & Peggy Lett, Sandy & Lee Pfishner, Diana Lett; and several nieces and nephews. A service to celebrate John's life will be held on Thursday, July 31 at 11 AM at New Community Church, 2340 Dean Lake Avenue NE. Friends are invited to visit with his family on Wednesday from 2-4 and 7-9 PM at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home - Van Strien Creston Chapel, 1833 Plainfield NE. To read more about his life, share a memory or sign his guestbook, visit www.lifestorynet.com