Lackawanna’s ex-Lehigh Valley C- 420 #405 in Scranton, Pa on October 14, 2009. Photo by Sam Botts
Quite a few of our members will remember meeting Jerry at one of our Chapter’s meetings in recent years. Jerry was, at one time, director of retail sales and newsletter editor of The Feedwater Heater. He served on our Chapter’s Board of Managers and was active in numerous Chapter functions over the years. Jerry was also a very active member in Binghamton Amateur Radio Association, the Kopernik Observatory, and Broome County's SKYWarn amateur radio net. Jerry used to be a member of the Binghamton Society of Model Engineers, which is how I met Jerry through joining the organization via Bob Pastorkey. After our meeting, Jerry and I became very good friends and traveled all over the northeast taking railroad photographs and attending model train shows. I used to go to Jerry’s house and help him with his model train layout, and he would do the same with me. We used to get together three or four times a month for "operating" sessions on both of our layouts. Jerry helped me build two of my model layouts over the years. He was a very true and great friend. When I moved to South Dakota (and later Missouri), I continued to talk to Jerry several times a month. When I came back for vacation he would always clear his schedule so we could go out and railfan together. It seems hard to believe, but we had been friends for just under 25 years. My last trip back home was in June of 2013, Jerry had undergone heart bypass surgery and was at the Bridgewater facility in Binghamton for rehab. My second stop on arriving in town was to go see him. Over the years Jerry had been a confidant and a person I would consult for advice (especially after my parents had passed away). One of the last days of my vacation, a group of close friends went to see Jerry and take a group photo of us all with him. It would be the last time I would see or talk to him. Four days later Jerry went into cardiac arrest and passed away. Losing my cousin Jerry Botts was a wake-up call to me, which is why I insisted we needed to do the group photo. I’m now so thankful we did as it is the only photo I have of Jerry and me together.  |
