Louis Heystek

Gerald Neira

Stephanie Vollmer

Jennifer Neira Heystek

Julie Neira

Friends and loved ones,
Thank you for your outpouring of support. In lieu of food, flowers or donations, everyone is encouraged to share their memories of Gerald on THIS website and, respectfully, not on other pages such as Facebook. Whenever you add or comment on photos and videos with your own experiences and interactions with Gerald on THIS page, we will receive a notification, and we can collect all your memories here so they can be passed onto loved ones such as Gerald's granddaughters. Please feel free share this website widely with friends and family in his memory.
- Many thanks, Julie and family
Just before midnight on March 23, 2022, Gerald Neira peacefully passed away in San Leandro.
He was born and raised in Oakland, California, where he grew up playing baseball and was the ball boy for the Oakland Athletics from 1972-1974. As the sixth oldest of ten children, he went to work at a young age to help support the family. At Oakland High School, he met and fell in love with Julie Ocampo, and they were married for more than 43 years. In their early 20s, they bought a house in San Leandro, where their daughters, Jennifer and Stephanie, were raised. Although Gerald wanted to become a surgeon, it wasn’t meant to be. His job as a mechanic at PG&E, however, made it possible for both his daughters to become the first college graduates in the family. He regarded his co-workers as good friends and was grateful for their friendship even after he was no longer able to work. After many years of health challenges, his family is relieved he is no longer suffering or in pain. His doctors were amazed at how long he continued to live after predicting (several times) that he just had months left. His strong will to stick around came from the love he felt for his four granddaughters, who brought him so much joy. He loved texting them the “thumbs up” emoji any time they would share a photo or some good news. Even when he wasn’t feeling well, he loved hearing his granddaughters share all about their adventures with school, friends, 4-H, dance, field trips, cooking lessons, and pets. His cat, Angel, kept him entertained and gave him company during the day. At any moment Gerald could be found watching westerns on tv, listening to music, or checking his stocks (often all at the same time). Gerald knew a little bit about everything, it seemed, especially when it came to cars. He was often asked for advice or his opinion about how to make or fix things around the house. He learned woodworking from his dad, who taught him to “measure twice, cut once.” He now joins his parents and two brothers, along with his other ancestors on the other side. His granddaughters have a new guardian angel to watch over them as they live their best lives with all the love and support they received from their grandfather.

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