Gerald Blunk

OBITUARY
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Gerald "Jerry" T. Blunk, 91, of Woodway, better known in this area as "Smiley the Clown," passed away on Wednesday, January 26, 2005 at a local hospital.

Services will be at 3 pm Friday, Jan. 28, at the Waco Memorial Park Mausoleum Chapel with Jimmy Johnson officiating. Burial will follow under the direction of OakCrest Funeral Home. There will be no visitation.

Jerry was born September 20, 1913 in Omaha, Nebraska, to Theodore and Edith (McDaniel) Blunk. He was united in marriage to Virginia Koons. He served in the United States Army in WWII.

He was a retired customer service manager in the airline industry. He served as a deacon for the First Presbyterian Church, and was a Red Cross volunteer.

As "Smiley" the clown, he has been charming Waco audiences with his clown and magic routines since the 1980s. He took his act to health care facilities, senior centers, libraries and birthday parties.

He is survived by his wife of fifty eight years, Virginia of Woodway; sons, Michael J. Blunk of Waco and James S. Blunk of Austin; brother, Jack Blunk of Dallas; four grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild.

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'Smiley the Clown' leaves legacy of laughter

By TOMMY WITHERSPOON
Tribune-Herald staff writer

Thursday, January 27, 2005

Those who knew Jerry Blunk best say he wouldn't want anyone to shed a tear over his death.

After all, Blunk, better known in Waco as "Smiley the Clown," spent the last 20 years or so bringing smiles to the faces of young and old alike and making people happy.

Blunk, 91, a retired airline customer service manager, died Wednesday after suffering a series of strokes.

"I'm sure he wouldn't want people to cry too much," said Blunk's son, Mike Blunk, of Waco. "He would want people to just smile when they think of him and extend a hand to someone in need. That is what he tried to do. He always said that if someone was without a smile, give him yours. That was his motto."

With a bright red bowler on his head, a big red fake nose, colorful baggy pants with rainbow suspenders and his trademark smile, Blunk transformed himself into "Smiley the Clown" and charmed Waco audiences with his clown and magic routines since the 1980s.

Blunk, who also was a gifted painter after taking only three art classes, spun his magic at senior centers, libraries, health care facilities and birthday parties.

"We always said we wished we could bottle him," said Rose Moyer, senior center coordinator for Central Texas Senior Ministry, who has a photo of Blunk in his clown costume in her office.

"He was just a wonderful man, just so delightful and full of energy and fun. No matter where he was, he made it better after he was there. We will dearly miss him."

Blunk and his wife of 58 years, Virginia, moved to Waco in 1982 to escape the cold weather of Michigan and to be closer to another son, Jim, who lives in Austin. After taking classes in clowning and magic, Blunk became a regular at Waco's senior centers, brightening people's lives with his energetic love of life.

"Jerry was a person who brought joy to a room," said Libby Bellinger, Central Texas Senior Ministry assistant director. "Whenever you were around him, you felt better. For a number of years, he was very much involved in the senior center councils, and whenever there was a problem, Jerry brought both humor and insight. He was a wise man who used humor to dispel anger or tense situations and he helped people laugh at themselves. I'd say he was sort of a sage. He was a wise elder."

One of Blunk's last magic shows was on his 90th birthday at the Harrison Senior Center. Bellinger said a group of preschool children came to the show, adding that Blunk related to the youths as easily as he entertained the seniors.

"He always made you laugh. But I think he made everybody feel better about living, that there was joy in life no matter what age you are," said Bellinger, who has a painting by Blunk of a church in a snowy landscape hanging in her office.

Blunk's last show was a performance in May at the St. Catherine Center to thank employees there for caring for his wife during her recovery from hip surgery, Mike Blunk said. He had his first in a series of strokes about three weeks later, he said.

"I think he was surrounded by a circle of love," Mike Blunk said. "I think there are so many human beings whose life he touched. He brought out the best in everyone everywhere he went. Whenever you went to see him, you just walked away with a different feeling. You felt better about yourself, always."

Besides entertaining at functions around Waco, Blunk was a driver for Meals on Wheels, served in the Silver-Haired Legislature and "marched on the Capitol" in Austin on behalf of senior citizen issues such as lower medication costs, Mike Blunk said.

Services for Blunk will be at 3 p.m. Friday at the Waco Memorial Park Mausoleum Chapel with the Rev. Jimmy Johnson officiating. OakCrest Funeral Home of Waco is handling the arrangements.

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