Gerald Matthew Marcella Jr.

Gerald Matthew Marcella Jr, was born to Gerald Matthew Marcella Sr. of Ontario Canada and Margaret Yolanda Peccia of Portland Oregon on March 26,1943. Known to family and friends as “Jerry,” “Poppy, or “Uncle Butchie,” he was a warm-hearted and funny man who kept his love and humor to the very end.

Jerry attended Holy Redeemer Catholic School and graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1961. He served in the Marine reserves and was a switchman for Portland Terminal Railroad when he met and married Lucinda “Cindy” Miller in 1964. They had four children. Jerry was a commercial framer for several construction companies, and in his 70’s he drove a First Student school bus for Portland Public Schools.

He was an imaginative builder who worked with anything he could find (wood, metal, stained glass, plaster, paint, even bleach bottles) to craft costumes, holiday decorations, and play structures for his children and grandchildren. He was also an easy going, fun-loving baseball coach for his sons and their friends.

Jerry passed away from Alzheimer’s disease on February 4, 2026. He lived like all of us, not perfect, but forgiven. He knew God loved him and he restated his belief in Jesus in 2017 when he was first diagnosed with the disease that eventually took him. We are grateful that we will meet again in heaven.

Jerry is survived by his wife Cindy of 61 years; his three sons Curtis, Douglas (Santana), Jay (Connie); daughter Gwenn (Dan); his grandchildren Nichole, Cameron, Samantha, Marco, Malia, Blake, Brenna, Anousa, and Prida; his younger brother Dan (Joyce); ten great grandchildren, and one on the way.

Jerry’s cremains are inurned at the St Francis Niche at Gethsemani Catholic Cemetery in Happy Valley Oregon where his parents and other family members are interred.