Some history…..
Sauvie Island Farms
was established in 1966 by Jerry and Carol Egger, who started the first u-pick
strawberries on Sauvie Island.
Jerry bought this farm from Carol’s father,
Carl Keller, who had a dairy and turkey farm and also grew potatoes.
Jerry and Carol
grew pole beans, cucumbers & cabbage for Steinfeld's, sweet corn and other row crops and berries. They planted the peach orchard in 1975.
For many years,
Carol ran the u-pick business from the driveway of their home, especially when
it was peach season.
Carol was the
bookkeeper for the farm. Jerry and Carol’s four children worked on the farm in
the u-pick and operating equipment. Their son David became
partners with his dad in 1984. Jerry and
Carol retired at the end of 1994, with David buying the farm from them beginning in 1995. Jerry was also partners with his
sister and brother in law at Sauvie Island Farms Market, which is now Krugers Farm
Market. Jerry loved to hunt ducks, geese and deer on
this property, and he spent many of his retirement years operating tractors for
David.
2017….
May 19, 2017 Carol
was admitted to the hospital after having a few dizzy spells. She was diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic
cancer, lived two more weeks, and passed away June 3, 2017. This was an unexpected and sudden loss for our family.
June 14, 2017 Jerry
was admitted to hospital with congestive heart failure, an ailment he has been
dealing with for several years. He
passed away on June 20, 2017……just 17 days after his beloved Carol. We believe he died from a ‘broken heart’.
Jerry and Carol
were married 60 years. Partners in the
farm business, partners in loving and supporting their 4 children & spouses, 13
grandchildren and 3 great grandsons, partners in life…and now death.
Our family is
reeling from the past 6 weeks of hospital stays, dealing with all that goes
with end of life, and now the missing hole of losing both parents so quickly.
We are a family
farm….many family members work here. We
are grieving this sudden loss of both parents.
We had put aside our farming duties...planting…weeding…mowing…to spend
time with them during their last days.
If things look different around the farm this
year, it’s because things are different.
We are sad, we are
adjusting to a new normal, and are mourning while trying to move on. It has just been a week since Grandpa has
been gone.
Jerry and Carol
lived an idyllic life on Sauvie Island. They lived with integrity, faith, love
and hope.
We, their children, will attempt to continue their legacy……
thank you for your
patience and understanding, as we try to get back to work.
If you knew Jerry
and Carol and would like to share a memory of them with the family, you can
send an email to: jcegger@live.com
Pick Your Own available this week:
Early Blue Blueberries
Early Blue Blueberries
Tulameen and Saanich Raspberries
Yellow Raspberries
Cabbage & Kale
U-cut Flowers: Shasta Daisies, Hydrangea, Lavender, Lilies, Baby's Breath.
