June 21, 2015

Lloyd J. “Jerry” Silverman

Jerry Silverman's family roots reach from Europe to Dallas. His mother came from the Poland and Lithuania region, and her father was a rabbi. An older brother had settled in Dallas around 1905 to 1909, and as World War I began he traveled back to Europe to find his mother and sisters, eventually bringing them to Dallas around 1914 to 1916. Jerry's father grew up in Berlin, where he was apprenticed as a young teen to one of the city's largest banks, valued for his memory and math skills. As Hitler rose to power, he got his family out of Berlin to Johannesburg. Jerry's mother, who had grown up in Dallas and worked as a bookkeeper, visited relatives in Johannesburg in the late 1930s, where she met his father. After a whirlwind courtship they married, and after a few years returned to Dallas, where Jerry was born.

As a child Jerry lived in many Dallas neighborhoods and spent a few years in Los Angeles before returning to Texas. He attended several elementary schools, including Reinhart, Maplelawn, and Longfellow, then Rusk junior high and North Dallas High School. He recalled delivering papers and earning his own money in the mid 1950s while living near Inwood and Cedar Springs. After high school he volunteered for the Army, serving three years in the Signal Corps. He later worked briefly for a brokerage house, studied accounting at a downtown business college, and in December 1962 signed his first insurance contract. Within a few years he became one of the top health insurance producers in the country, launching a long career in insurance where his math skills served him well.

Jerry's Jewish life came full circle over the years. He was among the last bar mitzvahs at the old Shearith Israel in South Dallas before drifting away from religious involvement. With his wife Lana Ray, he later sought a spiritual home for their daughter Erin, moving through several congregations before settling at Temple Shalom, where Erin attended Sunday school and was later married. There Jerry became active cooking for the homeless, attending Torah study, and serving in the Brotherhood, being honored as co Brotherhood Man of the Year. He was active in the JCC singles group, the Richardson Jaycees, NAIFA, and his homeowners association. As commander of the Dallas Jewish War Veterans, he championed the Christmas Day Mitzvah program visiting wounded warriors and a homeless veterans meal, later a summertime barbecue. Most proud of his wife and his growing sense of helping others, Jerry finds contentment in giving back to his community.

Read Full Transcript