J
Jody Genessy
Guest
SALT LAKE CITY — I’m not one who often reads obituaries. Though I’m getting up there, I am not quite to the age where I make the grandpa-approved joke that I read obituaries to see if I’m in there.
I made an exception this weekend for Gerald Eugene (aka Jerry) Sloan.
I’m glad I did.
There are some neat things to be learned in Sloan’s obituary, which was published this weekend following his death on Friday.
Sloan valued relationships and was fortunate to find love twice — first with his wife of 41 years, Bobbye, his high school sweetheart who passed away in 2004, and then with Tammy Jessop, whom he met in 2005 and married in 2006.
It was interesting to read that not only did he collect tractors — his love for John Deere products was a part of his cherished persona — but he also enjoyed collecting other antiques like cash registers.
He loved walks, maintaining that tradition wherever he went — from Dolan’s Lake in his childhood hometown of McLeansboro, Illinois, to along the Jordan River in his adopted home of Salt Lake City. The generous soul “donated time and resources to many charitable organizations and individuals in need.” And he never outgrew his roots, maintaining contact with his loved ones in rural southern Illinois and in Utah.
Sloan also persevered through a lot of agony — from the tragic airplane crash that killed members of his former Evansville team, to the passing of his beloved partner of four-plus decades, losing friends in Johnny Kerr, Norm Van Lier, Larry H. Miller and Hot Rod Hundley, and suffering through deaths of all but one of his nine siblings.
But it was comforting to read: “He left this earth peacefully at his Salt Lake City home, surrounded by his family.” What a special and sacred moment.
Sloan knew the thrill of winning a lot of games, even of winning championships. His University of Evansville teams won the 1964 and ’65 NCAA Division II national basketball championships. He also knew the disappointment of losing — having experienced that side at times during his first head coaching job with the Chicago Bulls in 1982 — and every year at some point in the regular season and playoffs with the Utah Jazz.
But an important part of his obituary shows that Sloan’s sights were set on an achievement even loftier than winning games or gaining glory. Sure, he loved to win. But he truly valued giving it your all regardless of the outcome.
“Known for his incredible intensity and work ethic, Jerry put 100% effort into everything he did. In return, countless others were inspired to do the same. He always believed that no matter who you were or where you came from, you could succeed in anything with a little ‘elbow grease’ and determination,” his obituary read.
“To him, a day working hard was a day hardly wasted. He played his game of basketball like he lived his life, and he lived his life like his favorite quote from Grantland Rice: ‘For when the one great scorer comes to write against your name, he writes not that you won or lost, but how you played your game.’”
Sloan’s death is heartbreaking, as was his unexpected retirement in 2011 and then his battle against two awful diseases, Parkinson’s and Lew Body Dementia.
But as the smile on his face of the photo that accompanied his obituary shows, Sloan knew how to get the most out of life. The Hall of Fame coach sure did give the great scorer plenty of positive to write about in his 78 years on earth.
Full Story from the Deseret News...