Born in 1942, second of seven children, Gerry grew up on a farm near Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, Canada, in the heart of the Canadian prairies.  An expert horseman at an early age, he spent his free time roaming the historic Cypress Hills, acquiring a kinship with the wild and the free.  To him the First Nations winter camp on the outskirts of Maple Creek, the enormous buffalo wallows he played in as a child and the hundred yard ribbon of wagon ruts crossing the ranch towards the Hills, all attested to the reality and richness of our Heritage.  During his school years Gerry excelled in equestrian events, sporting events and art classes, but the love for horses and the outdoors was his passion.  His school teachers labelled him a dreamer. 

       Gerry grew-up on the back of a horse in the summer and on his trap line in the winter, A sharp jackknife always in his pocket, from a piece of wood he carved his toys and necessary tools for survival,  his mother said he was born a hundred years to late.  1961 saw him graduate from high school.  The following year he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force.  After training in firefighting and crash rescue he spent the next five years in Canadian Forces Bases Grotonquin and Marville, France.  In the Base Fire Hall in Marville is where he began to explore his talent and started his first challenging carving project.