"My uncle Jerry said, ‘Caltech made me the man I am today,’" quotes his niece, Esther Warkov. Warkov believes Caltech gave Jerard Werner (BS ’47) the opportunity to succeed, and it was something that he never took for granted. A longtime supporter of the Institute, Werner passed away in 2022 at the age of 94.
Both Werner’s parents fled western Ukraine when they were young, escaping antisemitism and the czar’s army. Werner’s father became a large-animal veterinarian and meat inspector in California. Faced with being drafted during World War II, Werner entered Caltech at age 16 after he and his parents hastened to secure his admission. According to his niece, he was determined to work hard so he could help his family and others.
After Caltech, Werner spent his career in the aerospace industry working on thermodynamics problems and helped develop a seminal handbook used by NASA on satellite heat transfer. He retired in his early 50s and focused on his investment strategies.
Werner’s extraordinary lifetime giving to Caltech totaled more than $13.3 million. In 1998, Werner established a charitable gift annuity (CGA) with Caltech, the first in a series of CGAs that he created with the Institute. The CGAs provided a fixed income for Werner during his lifetime. A dedicated supporter of student scholarships for decades, he also began the Werner ME Undergraduate Innovation Fund for mechanical engineering students in 2017.
“Working with Jerry for many years—whether in Orange County or during his visits to campus—was always a pleasure,” says Laura Grinnell, senior director of development for Engineering and Applied Science at Caltech. “He was absolutely focused on supporting the student experience, including hands-on opportunities for mechanical engineering students, making sure they had opportunities to innovate and succeed during their time at the Institute.”
After retiring, Werner was actively involved in his Laguna Woods retirement community. He loved sea and train travel and relished planning and taking frequent trips.
“Even though our experiences were vastly different, he was always ready to listen,” says Warkov of her uncle. “We found points of intersection, like opera and investing.” Warkov notes that her uncle’s giving to Caltech embodied his core values: work hard, make something of yourself, and give back. It’s a simple recipe for success that Werner clearly applied to his life.