Roll Call Tribute

Gerald L. Atmar
April 16, 1929 — June 4, 2022

Gerald Legare (Jerry) Atmar, 93, left this world on June 4, 2022.

Gerald was born in Wichita Falls, Texas in 1929. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Wildlife Management at Texas A&M University in 1951, a Bachelor of Divinity Degree at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University in 1956, and a PhD Degree from North Texas State University in 1970.

Commissioned as Second Lieutenant in the Army in 1951, Gerald saw active duty in Korea as an artillery forward observer with the Fifth Field Artillery Group, supporting the Third Republic of Korea (ROK) Infantry Division. He was awarded the Army’s Purple Heart, a Bronze Star with V (Valor), Letter of Commendation from the Commander, Third ROK Division, and a ROK Presidential Unit Citation as presented to the Fifth Field Artillery Group.

Once discharged from active duty, he married Patricia Ann Colgin of Bryan in 1953 and they were blessed over the years with a daughter, two sons, and seven grandchildren.

An Ordained Deacon in 1954 and Elder in 1956 in the United Methodist Church, Gerald served as Pastor and Director of Youth Work in the Texas Conference of the UMC, until choosing a different career in 1962.

While working as a Correctional Officer at the U.S. Bureau of Prisons Unit in Seagoville, Texas, he began graduate studies at North Texas State University, earning his PhD degree in 1970. He taught Biological Science at Kent State University at North Canton, Ohio and worked as a biologist at an engineering consulting firm in Painesville, Ohio before accepting employment as an environmental biologist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Jacksonville, Florida.

When he and Patricia both retired in 1995, they returned to the Bryan/College station area. Gerald was active in construction projects at First United Methodist Church in Bryan, including maintenance, the building of props for Vacation Bible School, and the reconstruction of Two Mile Church. He was quite an active volunteer with Worldwide Mobility Brazos Valley, helping construct and ship Personal Energy Transportation (PET) carts until he was 90 years old, and continued to assist and teach at the church until his death.

Gerald is survived by his loving wife of 69 years, Patricia Ann Colgin Atmar; brother Richard S. Atmar and family; daughter, Claire-Jean Korzenewski and husband, Alex; son, David L. Atmar and wife, April; son, Stuart P. Atmar and wife, Kim; seven grand-children; and six great-grandchildren.

Remembrances and memorial donations may be made to Mobility Worldwide Brazos Valley, 506 E. 28th St, Bryan, Texas 77803.