Gerald Lee Eastman

Gerald Lee Eastman, the storyteller of all storytellers, a true Canadian cowboy through and through, rode off into the sunset on Canada Day, July 01, 2025, at the age of 81.

Born on September 13, 1943, in Bassano, Alberta, Canada. Lee (he hated his first name Gerald and always went by his middle name Lee) lived life by his terms. He grew up on a ranch in Rosemary, Alberta. He spent his early years learning the ropes of ranch life, working alongside his father and siblings, building a profound love for the land, working outdoors and a strong work ethic. He loved his youth and where he grew up. He would often say if he could go back in time, which by the way he did believe in time travel, he would go back to his youth. He competed in rodeo’s growing up, riding broncs and bulls. He played the saxophone in a band in his youth. He loved music his entire life and played the piano and sang his favorite songs up till the day he passed away. He was a great student and loved school. It was often said he had a photographic memory with the amount of material he could memorize and recall at any point in time. He could quote scriptures and church history like no one you ever met. One of his biggest regrets was not going to law school and becoming a lawyer. He would often say how great of a lawyer he would have been with his exceptional memory and debating/storytelling skills. Perhaps the thing he was best known for was his ability to tell a story. He would get so excited and animated, with a twinkle in those blue eyes of his, whenever he got the chance to tell one of his stories about big foot, working in Alaska, center of the earth theories, politics, theology or anything else his mind could come up with. There was never an end to his storytelling. He could command a room with his stories. There will never be another Lee Eastman when it comes to telling a good story.

He was a firm believer in miracles. So much so that he wrote a book of over 111 miracles he had witnessed in his lifetime. He believed that God had a hand in everything he did and had faith that if he just persevered long enough everything would always turn out. He had a saying he learned from his mother he liked to use “time has a way of healing all things.” He firmly believed that. He was quick to forgive and expected the same of others.

He had a passion for his religion and its history-The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He served in many callings in the church and loved them all. His favorite calling ever was teaching the gospel. He loved to teach others the gospel. It always had a Lee Eastman twist to it, but he was passionate about the gospel of Jesus Christ. He served a faithful mission for his church in his younger years and during his later years found a love of family history and doing genealogy work and temple work for his ancestors. He would always send family names to his grandkids so they could go to the temple to do work for them.

He is survived by the love of his life, his “Lady” (his favorite song by Kenny Rogers), Sharry Eastman; his children, Stacey Eastman (married to Shayna Eastman), Jennifer Howard (married to James Howard), David Eastman (married to Kimber Eastman), Deirdre Davis (married to Andrew Davis), Michelle Nielsen (married to Jared Nielsen), and Amanda Moncur (married to Mike Moncur); his twenty-two grandchildren, Paige Eastman, Kaden Eastman, Alec Eastman, Armond Eastman (married to Carson Bruner), Lily Eastman, Gabriel Eastman, Holden Eastman, Vienna Eastman, Sara Ocon (married to Micah Ocon), Tyler Eastman, Madix Eastman, Tayte Eastman, Nixon Eastman, Ashton Davis, Jaida Davis, Melia Davis, Leilani Davis, Sadie Davis, Jaxen Nielsen (married to Addison Nielsen), Maile Nielsen, Beckahm Moncur, and Amari Moncur; his two great grandchildren, Avalon Ocon and Adaline Ocon; his siblings, Linda Henderson, Allen Eastman, Verl Eastman, Valerie Watson, and Tamie Eastman,; and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents Roland and Neva Eastman and his oldest son Donovan Eastman.

A memorial service celebrating his life will be held on July 18th at 3:00 pm at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Savage Street building, Grants Pass, Oregon. The burial will be at the Wilderville Cemetery in Grants Pass, Oregon.

Lee Eastman will be missed but never forgotten. His stories will continue for generations to come to continue to inspire and amuse all who knew and loved him. If it is true as they say- “remembering a man’s stories makes him immortal,” Lee Eastman will never truly die. He always said, “you only live until you die, and then you really live.” He is really “living” now. He may have ridden off into the sunset for that last bronco ride, but he went out on his terms, outside in the yard doing what he loved, and leaving a legacy that will continue to shine brightly, as enduring as the open range sky he loved so much.

Please share a memory of Lee in his Guestbook.