Gerald Paul Harley

Gerald Paul Harley passed away January 7, 2026 in Sun City, Arizona at a care facility. Gerald was a resident of Wickenburg, Arizona at the time of his death.

Born November 29, 1947 to Paul and Letha Harley of Chambers, Nebraska. Gerald was the youngest of 5 children. He held tight to his Nebraska heritage and spoke specifically about days in the hay fields, adventures with cousins and neighbors and country schools. Also, as any good Nebraskan, he was a diehard Cornhusker fan until the end "Go Big Red"!

His mother was a rural schoolteacher and her and Gerald would live at the country schools during the week to teach and return home on weekends. Once he entered High School he would attend Wheeler County High School in Bartlett, NE. This was a boarding school with dormitories for the rural community students. Friends and memories through those years are strongly chronicled by Gerald. Specifically, sports, teammates and coaches are scrapbooked, with newspaper clippings & photographs and EVERY athletic letter awarded for 4 years. Ribbons, diplomas and classmate's pictures are displayed in protected pages, labeled on the shelves and clearly taking up space as a priority for him and his journey through life.

Upon graduation in 1966 Gerald enlisted in the United States Navy and served at the Naval Air Station Fallon in Churchill County, Nevada during the Vietnam War. Gerald was medically discharged in 1968 and returned to Nebraska. He then enrolled in Auto Mechanic trade school in Norfolk, NE. After completing his mechanics certification, he met Teresa Tepley of Chambers. They were married and had their son Shane. The couple lived in Chambers for a short time before going their separate ways. In 1971 Gerald then moved to Jackson, Wyoming.

He became a mechanic at Jackson Hole Motors, the local Ford dealership. It was in Wyoming that Gerald joined the RCA (Rodeo Cowboys Association before it was PRCA) and pursued becoming a Bull Rider. He traveled the mountain states competing in the sport. He truly loved the camaraderie he found there. In Jackson he met Carlene White. They were married and had their daughter Kindra. It was unique that Gerald and Carlene met in Wyoming, but their families came from neighboring counties in Nebraska. The family soon decided to move to Nebraska and the traveling rodeos ended for him.

Gerald continued to follow the Pro Cowboys intently! He has an honorable display of scrap books full of world Champion Bulls and Bull Riders from the 70's to date. He was an avid fan of the PBR and traveled several times a year to see performances. The last one he saw was in Glendale, Arizona in 2022.

Gerald & Carlene moved back to Wyoming in the early 80's. The marriage ended and Gerald returned to Oneill, NE. He then settled into becoming a career truck driver and spent the next 30+ years driving the interstates and highways west of the Mississippi. On those roads, Gerald knew every rest stop, exit number and diner serving homemade food. You could call him from any location in those parts and he could tell you the EXACT directions to your point B, often what mile marker you were at and what the next exit number was. Before the invention of GPS, Mapquest and Google Maps Gerald compiled stacks of atlas, handwritten alphabetized note cards and spiral notebooks full of directions to specific locations from corner to corner of the western United States.

Holt County NE was home to Gerald. Kindra would spend the summers with her dad and together they explored the countryside visiting family and friends. Most memorable were the times at Goose Lake camping and water skiing. Geralds lifelong friend Bobby Gartner who lived in Chambers always had a ski boat and in the summers after long days farming in the Nebraska heat it was common for them to go to the lake for an evening pull behind the boat. The most important milestone was Bobby helping Gerald achieve his sobriety in 1990. 35 years of sobriety and Bobby presented Gerald with every single yearly chip he received. They had the opportunity to facetime each other on their last Father's Day in 2025. Bobby passed away exactly 3 months before Gerald. It sure seemed as if knowing that Bobby was gone attributed to Gerald's decline. Such a great life and connection the friends had.

2008 Gerald retired from driving truck and planted his feet for a bit in Fort Pierre, SD. There he built a lakeside home and spent his days fishing and trying to adjust to retired life. He enjoyed wood working and antique shopping. Soon he realized he wanted to be closer to family. By this time he had 2 grandchildren, Cole & Macey Baler. So, he hit the road once again and went to Blackfoot, ID where Kindra's family lived. His son Shane was in Oregon and he felt this was good location for him to be more central to both.

It's there he started doing handyman jobs and working around the small acreage he was living on. He even tried his hand at horse showing with Kindra and had a few successful horses that kept him busy. In this time his grandson Wyatt Harley was born to Shane and Molly in 2014.

After some years in Idaho, he decided retirement required warmer weather, so he once again pulled up stakes and moved to Nevada for a short time but then finally settled in Arizona in 2017. Kindra also had relocated to the same area in Arizona at this time. With his granddaughter competing in High School Rodeo and local barrel racing, Gerald was able to relive his rodeo memories. He even made a trip to Vegas with them for an annual Barrel Racing Benefit. He loved Arizona life and loved being on the sidelines or in the stands with concession food and sunshine. Soon after settling in Arizona, Shane brought his son Wyatt from Oregon to meet his grandpa. Gerald was very happy to have his kids and grandkids together in the same place.

Grass never grew under Geralds feet & he was always on a schedule and had a plan he was working towards. He loved to travel and see all his nieces and nephews in Arkansas, Texas, Nebraska and California.

In 2022 Gerald was diagnosed with cancer. Although he was told he was in remission in 2024 the harsh effects of treatment left Gerald with little quality of life. He eventually succumbed to ongoing heart disabilities and passed peacefully at a care facility just 18 days after being admitted. Gerald was able to live independently in his home until that time. Gerald was preceded in death by his Father and Mother, brother Eldon Harley, grandson Martin Cole Baler and brother-in-law John Less. He is survived by his oldest brother Darwin (Shirley) of Arkansas, brother Roger (Maria) of California, sister Carolyn of Nebraska. His daughter Kindra and granddaughter Macey Rose of Arizona. His son Shane (Molly) and grandson Wyatt of Oregon. 9 nieces and nephews and many great nieces and nephews.

There will be no services as Gerald's wishes were for a burial at sea with the United States Navy. Wickenburg Funeral Home handled his cremation and transport to Naval Affairs in San Diego, California.

Condolences may be sent to the family at PO Box 2037 Wickenburg, AZ 85358