Long-time Central Oregon business owner Jerry Seed passes away at 88

Along with Mattress Factory, other businesses, actively helped community

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Gerald (Jerry) Seed, founder and owner of The Mattress Factory, passed away Friday in Bend due to complications from a recent stroke. Jerry, who had turned 88 last week, owned and operated businesses in Central Oregon for over 42 years.

Jerry Seed moved to Bend in 1976 with his family from Anchorage, Alaska.  He purchased Ostrander’s Country Furniture in the Old Bend Hardware Building, on the corner of Minnesota and Bond Streets in downtown Bend and soon changed the name to Jerry’s Home Furnishings.  He would later open a children’s clothing store, Kid’s Stuff, within the furniture store. 

At one time, Jerry had multiple stores in Bend, along with stores in Madras and Prineville.

Jerry founded The Mattress Factory in 1987, and it soon eclipsed the furniture operation. For over 20 years, the store was located on Highway 20 East and was, for many of those years, the largest mattress retailer and only manufacturer in the region.

The Mattress Factory closed in 2019, having moved to the north end of Bend, after Jerry’s health declined.

In addition to being a local business owner, Jerry was very active in the community. He served as president of Central Oregon Hospice while also providing hospital beds to hospice patients free of charge so they could remain in their homes. 

When a need arose, Jerry was there to see if there were any bed needs for people that were displaced.  Jerry drove veterans to Portland monthly for medical care and gave gallons of blood through the Red Cross. 

Jerry is survived by a son, Brian of Bend, daughters Jodi of Bend and Jolene of Wilson, Wyoming, 6 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.

Services are pending.