Stephen Tsai: Boster was as devoted to UH sports as they came

Super Fan wore aloha shirts.

Since 2008, Jerry Boster root-root-rooted for every University of Hawaii sports team. Jerry and his wife, Janice, bought season tickets and banquet tables, and contributed to championship bracelets for softball players, koa lei for coaches and a tap-for-inspiration plaque in the Warriors’ football locker room.

When a project fell short of funding, Jerry kicked in the money to close the bill.

He was co-host to pregame tailgate parties and stayed around to clean up.

Jerry raised his hands for the wave and waved his hands at auctions benefiting UH teams. He won every bid for roast-pig dinners provided by the owner of Murphy’s Bar &Grill.

“He was an expert on bidding on auctions,” friend Randy Hiraki said.

Don Murphy said Jerry’s secret was “outbidding everyone.” Jerry’s winning bids were in the thousands.

Jerry and Janice had open invitations to the roast-pig dinners. It was the same hospitality when he won baseball parties in the right-field corner of Les Murakami Stadium.

“Whenever UH had a fundraiser, he would buy a table and invite friends to come out,” Hiraki said.

Janice said Jerry put away some money from every pay check for UH-related events. “Anything to help,” Janice said. “We wanted to support UH.”

The thing was, Jerry had an unlikely path to chasing Rainbows. He grew up in Fallbrook, Calif., and then attended the U.S. Naval Academy. Between studies, he served as student manager for the Navy basketball team, which was led by All-American David Robinson.

It was at Annapolis where he met Janice, a Saint Mary’s (of Maryland) graduate who was working in the sports information department. They began dating a few years later, and were married in 1992.

In 24 years of service, Jerry was commissioned between ship and shore in Saudi Arabia, Japan, Jamaica, Bahrain and San Diego. He eventually ended up in Hawaii in 2008. It was at a business-club event where Jerry met Kekoa Furtado, who encouraged the Bosters to join a fan group for UH sports. The Bosters met the group when they attended the Warriors’ 2008 spring football game at Aloha Stadium.

“And the rest is history,” Janice said.

Embracing the group’s four-F motto — food, family, fun and football — the Bosters used their military ties to secure a cabana near Richardson Field for tailgate parties. Janice handled the reservation. The Bosters would fill their SUV with the provisions — plates, utensils, napkins, power cords. They also brought a large pot of gumbo.

“It was pretty good,” said friend Jamie Go, who had family ties — and recipes — to Louisiana.

In 2018, UH was set to play host to Navy at Aloha Stadium. Jerry was asked if he could accommodate some Navy fans for a pregame tailgate. The Navy alumni organization also wanted to add guests, offering to supply refreshments. “Day of the game, by the time the count was made, we must have served 700,” said Hiraki, whose UH group handled the food line.

In the rare time he cheered for the opposing team, Jerry lost a bet when UH beat Navy, and wore a tutu to the next tailgate. “He had fun,” Hiraki said.

The Bosters’ passion for UH sports expanded to all things Hawaii. Jerry felt Tori Richard offered styles that were comfortable and, more importantly, the sales people turned shirts into aloha shirts. Jerry owned more than 500 Tori Richard aloha shirts. In addition to an extensive wine collection — with the reds and whites stored at different temperatures in their Windward home — the Bosters bought Hawaiian memorabilia, such as lei, sculptures and paintings. They were members of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce.

In 2013, Janice noticed the tremors in Jerry’s right hand. When Jerry insisted he was fine, Janice turned to Furtado. A veteran of the Vietnam War and former star athlete at Kamehameha, Furtado was only the second toughest person in his household. Furtado asked Jerry to meet with his wife, Diana. During a lunch, Diana told Jerry: “You have a problem you need to take care of.” Janice said: “The only answer to that is, ‘yes, ma’am.’”

Tests and two doctors diagnosed Jerry with Parkinson’s.

He did not have time to pout. Instead, he continued to attend games and buy tables and bid on roast-pig dinners. He also began working with the Hawaii Parkinson’s Association. In April 2017, he was named volunteer president.

“He helped a couple of my friends who had Parkinson’s,” Go said. “They were lost, and he helped them.”

Jerry knew that he probably would not benefit from research and experiments. Most people with Parkinson’s know they might not be helped, Janice said, “but it was going to help somebody else.”

Jerry did not hesitate to volunteer for experimental trials.

Two weeks ago, he attended the World Parkinson’s Conference in Spain. He was admittedly fatigued during the return trip, which included a layover in Dubai. A week ago, the Bosters arrived back in Hawaii. Janice said Jerry did not appear to be experiencing any problems when he went to bed that night. He never awakened. He was 56.

“You couldn’t meet a nicer guy,” Murphy said.

Hiraki said Jerry “loved Hawaii, loved UH sports.”

Jerry made sure to renew his tickets for the Warriors’ 2023 football season. “I’ll still go to the games,” Janice promised.