Jerry McCauley of Depoe Bay, Oregon, died of natural causes on December 26, 2012 at age 79.  He was born, December 11, 1933, in Kirksville, Missouri. Jerry graduated from Mexico High School in 1951.  He married his high school sweetheart, Mary Ann Isgrig on January 12, 1955 in Columbia, MO. They proudly raised four children; Dan, Patricia, Carol and Douglas.

Jerry graduated from the University of Missouri in 1955, with a degree in entomology. He served in the US Army as a trainer for Nike Ajax surface-to-air missile systems at Fort Bliss, Texas, reaching the rank of 1st Lieutenant. When his service was up, Jerry went to work for his father’s janitorial supply business, Atkins-McCauley Chemical Company, in Columbia, Missouri. There, Jerry developed a deodorizing product that was unique at the time, in that it killed odors instead of covering them up with strong perfumes. In 1958, Jerry began offering his product to businesses, through a new service he eventually called Aire-Master.

In 1963, Jerry established Aire-Master as a separate company and relocated to Springfield, Missouri. He built a successful odor control and commercial hygiene route service business in the southwest Missouri area. In 1976, Aire-Master began offering franchises and now has 92 service locations in the United States, and two in Canada. Aire-Master has become a leading commercial odor control and commercial hygiene service, as well as a successful wholesale and retail manufacturer.  Aire-Master has appeared on Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 for the past 17 years and has been named many times as the #1 Restroom Service Franchise.

Jerry retired as President of Aire-Master of America in 1997, naming his son, Douglas McCauley, as his successor. Jerry became Chairman of the Board and remained so until his death. He and Mary Ann spent their retirement traveling between their homes in Oregon and Missouri. They eventually moved to the Oregon coast permanently. Mary Ann McCauley died from a stroke in 2008.

Jerry was respected and loved by his family, friends, business associates, and employees. He had a joyful spirit and an outgoing concern for others. Jerry loved to make people laugh, he gave many people an opportunity to be successful, and his Christian faith guided him in everything he did.