Known at the fire station as "JC," Jerald became a firefighter in 1987. One morning, while recovering from back surgery, he sat up on the edge of his bed and said, "I miss home," referring to the brotherhood at the fire station. He was a devoted San Francisco Giants fan, loved vacationing in Cabo San Lucas, and devoted time and energy to restoring homes and fixing cars. JC was a brush clearance fire inspector when he died from a job-related heart attack.