Jere Michael Pynnonen, son of Ole and Betty Pynnonen, was born 29 March 1952, Lansing, Ingham County, Michigan.  He graduated in 1970 from Okemos High School.  Jere moved to Colorado in 1974, married, and was the father of 2 children.  He succumbed to a heart attack 7 November 2004.

The Aspen Times

Serving Aspen and Snowmass Village, CO

7 November 2004

Jere Pynnonen died suddenly from a heart attack on Friday.  Born March 29, 1952, in Lansing, Mich., Jere was a longtime Aspenite and a graduate from Okemos High School in Michigan. He moved to the Aspen area in 1974 with his parents, Betty and Ole Pynnonen. Together, Jere and his father opened the family business of Aspen Upholstery located at the ABC. Jere was an assistant manager for the Aspen junior girls’ hockey team and belonged to Roaring Fork Valley Shooting Association. His athletic pastimes included skiing, rugby and softball. He also enjoyed playing in a recreation hockey league and participating in pick up games as well as going out with his buddies to play in the “Men Behaving Badly” golf tournament. He competed in an annual sailboat race around the Great Lakes (Mackinaw). Jere was an avid hunter and spent much of his time hunting with friends and family. Jere was an involved and loving parent to Ashley and Desiree Pynnonen. He was an excellent father who devoted much of his time to supporting his daughters in athletics and sending them to college. Jere is survived by Desiree and Ashley, parents Ole and Betty, sister Jill Pynnonen Buckman, former wife and mother of their children, Joann Dodea, and many friends and family that will miss him dearly. A memorial service will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m. at the Prince of Peace Chapel; a potluck lunch will follow. A memorial fund for Aspen Junior Hockey will be established at Wells Fargo Bank.

Jere's death was reported by Michelle Maslow.