The Hollister City Council voted on May 19 to name the dog part at the Hollister Municipal Airport “Jerry Gabe Memorial Park” in honor of one of the airport’s longtime tenants.
Gerald “Jerry” Gabe, a native of New York and a United States Air Force veteran, died March 19. He was a member of local and national aviation organizations as well as the Military Vehicles Club for decades. An avid private and commercial pilot and flight instructor, he held many flying ratings for more than 40 years. He previously owned a P-51 Mustang and, at the time of his death, owned a T-6 World War II trainer.
Gabe served on the Hollister Airport Advisory Commission for many years and was a 30-year resident of San Jose prior to moving to Hollister in 1997.
In a report to the City Council seeking approval for the dog park’s name change, Management Services Director Mike Chambless called Gabe “an extremely generous person. If anyone ever needed anything at the airport, Jerry was there to save the day.” Chambless said Gabe helped transient pilots when their planes suffered a breakdown and he assisted annual with the Hollister Airshow.
Airport staff recommended naming the dog park in Gabe’s honor because “he was very fond of animals; especially his two dogs.” Prior to the City Council’s approval, the Hollister Airport Advisory Commission and the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission both unanimously supported the recommendation.
The expected $2,000 cost of the park sign will be paid from the airport’s operating budget.