Jerry Taft, who retired as a meteorologist for ABC 7 Chicago in January 2018 died Thursday July 23, 2020 at age 77.
Jerry Taft served as a meteorologist at ABC 7 for 33 years and at NBC 5 Chicago for seven years prior to August 1984. Jerry Taft died peacefully Thursday night surrounded by family members in the Chicago area. Jerry Taft is survived by his wife Shana and his children Skylar, Storm, Dana and Jay.
After his retirement from ABC 7 Chicago on January 19, 2018, Taft moved to Naples, Florida and worked part-time as an Uber driver. He tweeted some of his experiences. He earned $84.61 on his first day. His last tweet was on April 3, 2020 at 3:40 p.m. writing, “I’m fine. Stay healthy. Stay away from Giangreco!” After retirement he posted some Uber updates, his Nutrisystem updates, criticized Chicago Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky, and posted some Naples weather forecasts, once saying, “Don’t need a weatherman to interpret this forecast!!! (all sun).
He was a captain and pilot in the United States Air Force in Texas when he took the local weatherman in San Antonio aboard for a military publicity flight. The weatherman then put Jerry on the air at NBC affiliate KMOL-TV (now WOAI-TV). “They said we’ll give you fourteen-fifty. I figured $1,450 a month, bought new suits. It was $14.50 a show. Got my first check, it was $62,” he said according to ABC 7 Chicago.
“One of the things that makes him so approachable is the fact that he doesn’t take himself seriously, he’s taking what he does professionally seriously, never himself.”
— Alan Krashesky
Jerry was well-known for for his sense of humor, and for not taking himself too seriously. When Cardinal News took a break one evening outside the ABC 7 Chicago studio window at 190 North State Street during a live news broadcast, Jerry Taft made eye contact and jokingly acted like he was a big deal with his weather technology during a commercial break. He even took time to quietly joke with the people standing on the sidewalk outside the ABC 7 Chicago studio while the news broadcast was on the air.
RIP Jerry Taft.
See also …
ABC 7 Chicago | Jerry Taft, ABC7 meteorologist for 33 years, dies at 77
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Retirement day with family… pic.twitter.com/fcRSTM3Z67
— jerrytaft (@jerrytaft) January 27, 2018
My longest Uber trip yesterday… pic.twitter.com/UDNpVQKbDA
— jerrytaft (@jerrytaft) May 21, 2018
Me waiting in queue at Ft Meyers airport for my next Uber ride. pic.twitter.com/QfNl76MTWO
— jerrytaft (@jerrytaft) January 18, 2019
Nutrisystem update. Slow going but I'm in no rush. Come on Skilling jump on the bandwagon. pic.twitter.com/tFaPQlk7wy
— jerrytaft (@jerrytaft) November 7, 2019
10 years ago… pic.twitter.com/q9qtfHa4rW
— jerrytaft (@jerrytaft) April 18, 2019