Gerald Musselman Obituary

Col. Gerald Weir Musselman, USAF (Ret.) SUMMERVILLE - Col. Gerald (Jerry) Weir Musselman, USAF (ret.) passed on April 2, 2023 in Summerville, SC. Jerry was born August 18, 1935 to Weir and Myrtle Ruth Musselman in Mechanicsburg, PA. As a child, he dreamed of seeing the world he had read about in books. He graduated from Mechanicsburg High School before attending two years at Susquehanna University. After two years of active duty in the US Navy, Jerry received a Bachelor's degree from Old Dominion University. Working as an insurance salesman, Jerry moved to New York City, where he met his wife, Waltraud Karg. Soon thereafter, he arrived home one afternoon to tell his young bride that while walking by a recruiting office, he decided to join the United States Air Force. That decision soon saw the couple and their one-year-old son moving to Warner Robins, AFB in Georgia. From there, the growing family would be stationed in Biloxi, MS; Clark AFB, Philippines; Austin, TX; Hof, Ramstein, and Zweibrucken, West Germany; Kansas City, MO; Satellite Beach, FL; Brussels, Belgium; Mount Vernon, VA; and finally, USAF retirement in Summerville, SC. The family took advantage of all the military relocations to travel, but Jerry and Waltraud continued traveling in retirement allowing them to reach all seven continents. Jerry worked at the Post & Courier and as the Dorchester County Veterans' Affairs Officer before fully retiring. His boyhood dream of travel was truly fulfilled! Jerry found fulfillment in service to his community. From organizing the restoration of a neglected Bataan Death March memorial in the Philippines as a lieutenant to cleaning up after Hurricane Camille in Biloxi to fundraising and support for the Joan Davis School for Special Education in Kansas City to helping establish The Flowertown Players theater in Summerville, to serving veterans as the Dorchester County Veterans' Affairs Officer, Jerry worked to make his community better. He was never without a new joke. He rarely landed in a new location, however remote, where he did not know someone. His welcoming demeanor and glass-half-full optimism will be missed. Jerry is survived by his wife Waltraud, sons, Mark and Craig, daughter-in-law, Anna, and granddaughters, Olivia, Lucy, and Genevieve. Jerry was predeceased by his son, Eric and sister, Jean. Private services will be held at the Beaufort National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Lowcountry Food Bank in Jerry's name would be gratefully accepted. Visit our guestbook at legacy.com/obituaries/charleston