Jerry Avila passed away peacefully in his home, surrounded by loved ones on April 21, 2025. Jerry was a native of Dos Palos, with Portuguese roots, born June 26, 1943, to Frank and Emily Avila, the eldest of 7 children. From the age of 10, he was already driving tractor and milking cows for family members. During high school in Dos Palos, while still milking cows, he started work with his father Frank at CCID, where he continued to work for 52 years until retirement. Jerry met his bride, Janet, in high school. They went to the Sadie Hawkins dance together, married in 1966 and were married 59 years, having 2 daughters. Although Jerry’s high school football career was cut short with a broken back injury requiring him to learn to walk again, his passion for football was put to use as Jr. Pop Warner Football Coach where he helped lead a team, many of whom are local men today still calling him “Coach”, to win a Valley championship.
Jerry’s passion was for restoring tractors, trailers and especially trucks. Beginning with his first car club in town, “The Undertakers”, he and Janet’s weekends were filled with car club events and car shows all through the Central Valley. You would see Jerry driving the cleanest truck, wearing polished shoes, pressed clothes, sweetest cologne, always looking his best while admiring others’ trucks and enjoying chatting with their owners. He helped start the Dos Palos Car Show which he enjoyed participating in and is still going strong.
Jerry is survived by his wife, Janet, daughters Cami (Richard) Weaver and Lynette (Howard) Lewis, grandsons, Chantz Weaver, Hayden Lewis, Dawson Lewis, granddaughter-in-law Lauren Lewis and numerous other siblings and relatives.
A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday May 3, D.E.S. Hall, Elgin Ave., in Dos Palos, 11am
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks for gifts of donations at the door to sponsor an annual trophy in Jerry’s name at the local car shows, his true love and passion.
