Jerry Laurens

While completing a 30-year career as a Portland police sergeant, he used his “spare time” to officiate or assign officials to games in football for 43 years and basketball 50 years. He officiated at the Rose Bowl and East-West games.

In 1965 the Oregon School Activities Association commended Jerry “for 50 years of dedication and commitment to high school athletics. Your loyalty and dedicated service to the youth of our state is impeccable and unparalleled. In a society that is often drive by greed and self serving interests, you are a shining example of unselfish dedication to young people. Our state is a better place because of you. The football field will miss you next fall. The thousands of young men who have benefited from your 50 years of dedicated service as a football official in our state will continue to reap the benefits from your extraordinary career. Congratulations Jerry, on a job well done.” (November 6, 1995).

In 1996 he received The Oregonian Banquet of Champions Merit Award and a year later he was inducted into the Cleveland Athletic Hall of Fame.

Daughter Merilee provided this information on her Dad. Of the many tributes he received at his 2010 memorial service, she said “the most valuable was how important his life was in influencing the lives of young people in a positive way.”