SAN JOSE, CA

Jerry Erich's mother met and married a printer, Lawrence Dugdale, who owned the Graphic Arts Press, located on So. Second Street in San Jose. Jerry started working and learning about the printing business at an early age under the tutelage of his step-father. He attended Lincoln Grade School, Woodrow Wilson Jr. HS and graduated from San Jose HS in 1947 which was located on the campus of San Jose State University. He worked at his step-father's shop most of his spare time, and he had a passion for all sports, especially basketball. He was involved in the First Methodist Church and its youth group. Jerry enrolled at SJSU taking business and printing classes, and he found the time to take printing classes at Stanford.

Jerry as a young adult was very ambitious and had plans of accomplishing many things in his life. He wanted to get involved in local politics and gave thought to running for mayor of San Jose. He had big ideas on how San Jose could improve and become a major city. He also tried to enlist in the Navy but was rejected due to a disability. Jerry was running the print shop most of the time when it was decided to build a building for the new print shop on N. Fourth St. He sold the house he bought on Reed St. ($6500) and moved to a nicer, bigger place on Alum Rock Ave. Things were going well for Jerry, and he was learning a new style of printing called "offset printing" at a school in Oakland. All that changed in September, 1953.

Jerry Erich's history as a young adult would serve him well as a family man, business owner, Rotarian and philanthropist. The roots of true conservatism were planted in him- a respect for tradition, hard work, frugality, service of community, stoicism in the face of adversity.