Gerald Rodney Hyde

May 12, 1929 - April 19, 2022

Gerald Rodney Hyde passed away on April 19, 2022, after a valiant battle with cancer. He was 92. Jerry was born on Mother’s Day, May 12, 1929, in Baker City, Oregon to Sebastian Henry Hyde and Kathryn Mae Young Hyde. He married Lola Josephine Nessen in the Logan Utah temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on July 9, 1952. Lola died on April 2, 2010. They had four children: Paul (Polly) Hyde of Parma, ID, Robert (Tacy) Hyde of Kaysville, UT, Sheral Hyde of Monrovia, CA, and Lauren (Robert) Hernandez of Solvang, CA. Jerry is survived by his children, 8 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren, his brother David (Marae) of Eagle, ID and Mesa, AZ, his sister Nadine Childress of Citrus Heights, CA, and his longtime friend and caretaker Terry Beesley. The family is profoundly grateful for the compassionate service Terry rendered to Jerry during his illness. Jerry and his family joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints when he was 15. He served a mission for his church to Western Canada from 1949-51. He and Lola served a mission together in the West Indies in 1994-95. Jerry served in many callings in the Church including eight years as a Bishop. He and Lola served in the Los Angeles Temple for ten years. Jerry was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1952. He went to Officer’s Candidate School and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant at Ft. Sill in Oklahoma. He was promoted to Captain in the U.S. Army Reserve in 1959 and he resigned his commission in 1962. Jerry earned his Bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University in June 1956 and his Master’s degree in June 1957. After a year at the University of Colorado working on his Doctorate in Physics, Jerry received an offer he couldn’t refuse and joined Raytheon Corp. in Goleta, CA in 1958. The family lived in Isla Vista for nearly a year before moving to their new home in El Encanto Heights just before the end of 1958. That was home for Jerry for the rest of his life. Jerry joined Santa Barbara Research Company in 1960 and worked there in various positions until he retired in 1993. Jerry truly loved Goleta and the surrounding area. Jerry was a very Christlike man. His home was always open to those in need. Lola was used to Jerry bringing home an unannounced dinner guest and they often stayed for quite some time. He was a friendly, curious, knowledgeable man who for “fun” would study astronomy and geology, among other things. He was known to drag the kids out in the middle of the night to show them some great constellation or another. He also loved doing family history research and discovering new relatives. The grandkids loved Jerry for stopping to show them a bug or flower or some other thing most of us take for granted. Those who know and love Jerry will miss his smile, sense of humor, great faith in the Savior, and wonderful outlook on life. A viewing will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints located at 478 Cambridge Dr. in Goleta on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, from 10:00 – 10:45 a.m. The funeral service will immediately follow at 11:00. Interment will be at the Goleta Cemetery at 44 S. San Antonia Rd.