The Wimberley Players are pleased to feature the exceptional volunteerism of Jerry and Gene Mackin, who have been members of the Players family for more than 20 years. A dedicated team, Jerry and Gene began volunteering at the theatre’s first venue, the Greenhouse theatre in Woodcreek. Ticket takers, money handlers, ushers, and crew people, Jerry and Gene approach all tasks with willing hearts and skilled enthusiasm. Since the Players moved to the current Playhouse, there is hardly a production in which the Mackins have not loaned their skills. Jerry took on set construction while Gene painted sets. They could always be counted on to usher at least one weekend during the run of the play.
"Working at the theatre is so much fun, if you don’t count the construction encumbrances, that is," says Gene. "I’m very lucky to be able to share that painting with Carroll Dolezal (Wimberley Players Scenic Artist) is a beautiful working relationship. I am her sous chef, so to speak. We share an intuitive bond in the process of creating a set."
After exciting and fulfilling careers, both Jerry and Gene took early retirements. A trip to Wimberley one Labor Day weekend led to buying land they soon called home. "I lost my heart to the property," Gene remembers, and they soon settled in. Jerry became a distributor for Lindel Cedar Homes and drew the plans for their own home. They have traveled extensively, visiting every continent except Antarctica.
Jerry Mackin passed away June 27, 2022, after a brief illness. Born Aug. 27, 1939, Jerry was raised in Queens, NY, the son of a parish policeman. In 1961, he earned a degree in electrical engineering and began work at General Electric in Syracuse, NY. He later worked for the military in radar defense and eventually for the Apollo program in Houston.
Jerry will be remembered for his outstanding devotion to the Players, for his affable spirit, his many skills, and for his humble approach to life. He paid particular attention to commitments and was known for being assiduously punctual. You will be missed, Jerry, and thank you for your decades of volunteerism and friendship. – Teresa Kendrick, July 2022.