Jerry grew up with his two younger siblings, brother Tommie and sister Linda in Sulphur. Jerry was a math whiz and graduated with degrees in mathematics and physics from Southeastern Oklahoma State University with plans to go on to a PhD program. Then, draft deferment for secondary degrees was rescinded, so the Vietnam War changed his plans; he became a captain in the Air Force where he earned a master’s degree, taught orbital mechanics and satellite tracking, then spent a year in Thailand. He later began a career in aerospace, first in California and then in 1978 he took an assignment to Harrogate, England where he met Lynne; they married and moved to the USA in 1981.

During Jerry’s career he worked on several projects, but two he could talk about were the Hubble Space Telescope and Globalstar. He played a crucial role in the early stages of computer software development and was passionate about that aspect of his work.

Jerry was foremost a sailor; it was his passion and he was never happier than when he was sailing with his family on the Chesapeake Bay and after retirement traveling south for the winter, to Florida, the Bahamas, Dry Tortugas, and a once in a lifetime trip to Cuba. When not sailing, Jerry enjoyed memorable trips to southeast Asia, India, Machu Picchu, and the Galapagos. He also enjoyed socializing, walking, playing pickleball, going to the theater, birdwatching, and the great outdoors. Above all, Jerry was dedicated to his family; he passed on his great love of nature and travel to his children, brought his wife a cup of tea in bed every morning, and would frequently exclaim - with windswept hair and a big grin, while on some grand adventure or another - that it sure was nice to be “livin’ large.” In recent conversations, Jerry often recalled the lyrics of a song by Eliza Neals, who he saw play at a blues festival in Vero Beach last year: “If you wake up in the morning without a tag on your toe, it’s a good day.” Jerry embraced this sentiment throughout his illness and, when asked how he was doing, would respond with a lighthearted, “No tag!”

Jerry is survived by his wife, Lynne Hoot; daughte, Whitney Hoot; son, James Hoot; brother, Tom Hoot; sister, Linda Thomas (Kent); and nephews, Steven Thomas (Sandra) and Sam Hoot, niece Ashley Thomas, and many great friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Barney and Edna Hoot and nephew Bridger Hoot.

The Hoot family invites family and friends to join them on May 31st to toast Jerry and celebrate his life, location TBD. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Arundel Rivers Federation to support the protection of his beloved South River or The Colonial Players, where Jerry was a season ticket holder for almost 40 years.