Gerald W. Pounds

On April 3, 2019, Gerald W. Pounds at the age of 80, entered into eternity. He was born June 18, 1938 in Dearborn, Michigan to Woodrow G. and Ella Mae (Grant) Pounds. He joined the Army in 1961 and was a veteran of the Cuban Missile Crisis Era. He attained the rank of E-5 Sergeant in the short time he served.

In 1969, He purchased the Drasco Café.  Shortly afterward, he realized he needed a cook and waitresses so on August 6th, 1970, he married Thelma Lee (Hawkins) Bagby, became a wonderful husband and dad to two daughters, giving him an instant café staff. He owned the café for 10 years and helped raise a decade of the community’s teenagers.

During this time, he also opened the Drasco Farm & Home Supply eventually selling the café and expanding the hardware. He owned the hardware store for 34 years and finally retired in 2014. If only our elected officials would’ve come to Drasco and sat around the counter of the store, they would’ve had the solutions to all our nation’s problems.

His main hobby was remodeling old vehicles but he could pretty much fix anything.  If he didn’t have the exact thing he needed to fix something he was just like McGyver, he could figure out a way to make it work.

He helped organize the Drasco Fire Department and served on the board for the fire department and the water department for many years.

He was a faithful member of the Macedonia General Baptist Church. He was ordained as a Deacon in November 1983 where Roger Harlan preached the charge. He taught Sunday school from his teen years until the Sunday before he entered the hospital.

His service and commitment to the church was born out of his love for Jesus Christ. If you spent any time with him, it would be evident that he believed there was nothing more important than a personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus.  He believed your commitment to Jesus and your dedication to His church were linked eternally. Many souls will enter Heaven’s gates because of the living epistle of Jerry Pounds.

He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Thelma Lee Pounds; two daughters, Dana Vannatter of Mountain View and husband Michael and Kim Thomas of Drasco and husband Jeff; one grandson Chase Thomas; three granddaughters, Mika and Nikki Vannatter, Katelyn Mizell and husband Ethan; one sister Debbie Marple and husband Randy; one niece Johnna Skaten; one nephew Mark Denman and a host of family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; an infant sister Judith Faye Pounds and his nephew Matthew Denman.

Military honors will be by the American Legion Post 64.

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