Geraldine McCullough was born on April 4, 1931, in Portland, Oregon, to Omar B. Willie and Nell Willie, who owned a ranch. Known to family and friends as "Jerry," she loved horses and was a true cowgirl at heart.

Jerry rode in rodeos and barrel-raced her horses. She even participated in cattle drives, where she roped cattle, jumped from her horse, and tied their legs together in a matter of seconds. When her parents decided to move to Ridgecrest, California, so her father could work on the military base, Jerry reluctantly left behind her beloved white horse, White Wing, and a very special boyfriend. She always hoped to one day return to Oregon, near Applegate, where the family ranch was located.

Jerry attended Burroughs High School for around a year and graduated in 1948. She then went to work as a secretary for the Veterans Service Department, where she performed shorthand and various administrative duties.

Jerry was first married to George Martin, with whom she had two sons. She later married Gilbert Lafayette McCullough, and together they welcomed a daughter. Jerry and Gilbert also started a riding stable, where they trained and broke horses and guided guests on horseback adventures through the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Jerry's Stable was home to many horses, several mules, and even horse-drawn buggies that could be used when needed.

Jerry was the life of the party and the beloved matriarch of our family. Friends and relatives often gathered for Gilbert's famous barbecues and Jerry's wonderful home cooking. Together, Jerry and Gilbert raised three children: George Preston Martin, Duryl Lynn Martin, and Jerelynn Lynette McCullough. They were loving parents who gave their children a life filled with adventure, laughter, and cherished memories.

Gilbert was always finding exciting things to do, from camping trips to Mammoth to off-roading in dune buggies and countless other adventures. Jerry often had to keep a close eye on him, never quite knowing what adventure he would dream up next. She herself was always active, moving quickly through the house and accomplishing everything she set out to do each day.

Later in life, after Gilbert's passing, Jerry experienced great sorrow. Her daughter, Lynette, moved back to Inyokern, California, to the family home that had been built from the ground up, where she lovingly cared for her mother and provided support in every way possible. Her son, Duryl, also relocated to Inyokern and was able to spend precious quality time with Jerry. Richard Sewell, Jerry's son-in-law, loved her as if she were his own mother as well.

Geraldine, affectionately known as Jerry, will live forever in our hearts. She was a devoted mother not only to her own children but also to many young people who looked to her as a mother figure. Jerry is now in Heaven with Jesus. A devout Christian, she lived a life marked by kindness, compassion, and faith. Her works were kindness, and her legacy is love. She will be forever remembered and treasured in the hearts of her children, family, and friends.

Geraldine is survived by her son, Duryl Lynn Martin; her daughter, Jerelynn Lynette McCullough Sewell; her son-in-law, Richard Fred Sewell; and her grandchildren, Christopher Martin, Nicholas Ray McLendon Martin, Elliot Preston Martin, Heather Martin, and Bianca Castillo.

Crossing the Bar
"Sunset and evening star, And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar, When I put out to sea,

But such a tide as moving seems asleep, Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep Turns again home.

Twilight and evening bell, And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell, When I embark;

For tho' from out our bourne of Time and Place The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face When I have crost the bar.

                                                                                                                                                     -Alfred Tennyson