Local man’s wish becomes reality for Centre County veterans
HOUSERVILLE — On a drizzly November afternoon along the banks of Spring Creek, veterans, community leaders and members of the Spring Creek Chapter of Trout Unlimited gathered to fulfill the wish of a man who never stopped giving back.
The late Dr. Gerald Clair was a U.S. Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard veteran, local physician, father and lifelong steward of the waterway who dreamed of making his property available to veterans looking for a quiet peace that comes with a fly rod in hand.
On Sunday, Nov. 9, that dream became reality.
The Veterans Fishing Program of Trout Unlimited formally dedicated the newly accessible half-mile stretch of his property at 861 Trout Road so veterans can freely fish what many in the fly-fishing world regard as some of the most storied water in Pennsylvania.
“This was [Gerald Clair’s] wish,” said Trout Unlimited member Tom Garlow. “He wanted veterans to have access to his property to be able to spend a day fly fishing, get out in nature, clear your head and rejuvenate. And today, we honored that vision.”
Garlow, who serves as a liaison between the Clair family and Trout Unlimited, said the importance of the day cannot be overstated for those who served.
“Everybody likes to be acknowledged,” he said. “This kind of tribute really resonates. It shows somebody cares enough about them [veterans] to allow exclusive access to this incredible resource right here in the middle of a busy area.”
The program will operate with minimal barriers. Veterans will be asked to display the veteran designation on their driver’s license and access will be coordinated through Trout Unlimited to prevent overcrowding. Signage will be placed at the entrance explaining the procedure.
The emotional heart of the ceremony came from Dr. Clair’s daughter, Amy Clair-Bilyeu, who now owns the property and has spent the last year making sure her father’s dream was carried forward.
“Many, many years ago, my dad being a vet, his vision was to restore this creek and be able to let vets and disabled vets go fishing here,” she said. “There’s a cement pad on the other side of the weeds so if you’re in a wheelchair or have any disability, you can fish here. His dream was for any vet to be able to fish here.”
Clair-Bilyeu said choosing a date near Veterans Day was intentional.
“What better honor than to do this as close to Veterans Day as possible,” she said. “I hope to see this stream flooded with vets and disabled vets from now on. Every year we will have a memorial fishing day in honor of my parents.”
The ceremony attracted longtime fly-fishing legend Joseph B. Humphreys, a veteran and former head of Penn State’s angling program. Humphreys began fishing this exact stretch of Spring Creek as a child in the 1930s.
“This water is so dear to me,” Humphreys said. “I would ride my bicycle down here every summer with three peanut butter sandwiches and a jug of milk and fish every day. I know every rock in here. My dad and I fished it together.”
Humphreys shared stories that left the crowd smiling — from escaping a charging bull thanks to a swinging bridge to watching his father catch a 16” trout. More importantly, he spoke about what this dedication means for today’s veterans.
“It’s not only an honor to them, but a pleasure,” he said. “There’s quality fishing here. They deserve that joy.”
For Trout Unlimited Volunteer Ray Faczan, the significance of the day went deeper.
“Fishing goes beyond the fly rod,” Faczan said. “For some veterans, this is medicinal. The quiet, the tranquility. Sometimes they may come here just to sit along the bank and enjoy the stream. That’s the bigger picture.”
Faczan helped coordinate the ceremony and worked closely with Clair-Bilyeu to ensure the project honored her family’s legacy.
“She told me, ‘Ray, you don’t realize how much this means to me.’ And I do. I really do.”
Several local representatives attended, including State Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, R-171st, and Centre County Commissioner Steve Dershem, offering their own memories of fishing the creek, knowing Dr. Clair and understanding the importance of creating space for veterans to reconnect with nature.
“I have a million fun memories, and I can tell you stories all day long,” said Benninghoff, recalling a time while fishing as a child thinking he saw a pterodactyl, only to come to learn about Blue Herrings. “I was humbled, but what a great memory as a kid. I was a couple years old. We want those memories for our veterans that have served us abroad.”
“I learned how to duck hunt right around that bend,” Dershem said. “I was about 12 years old. My father and I went down there and I killed my first duck. I can’t remember a time I didn’t know Jerry Clair. He would have been incredibly proud of this project, and while he might not have expected his name here, it is well deserved. He represents so much of the good in this community.”
After remarks, Clair-Bilyeu and her daughters unveiled a stone marker inscribed with a phrase her father repeated often: “Watch where you walk and walk where you watch.” The Clair family plans to replace it with a permanent marker in the spring.
Before the crowd dispersed, Clair-Bilyeu thanked Trout Unlimited and the veterans present.
“We hope that vets enjoy fishing here and hope to see more in the future,” she said.
As the rain continued and the creek rippled, the sentiment of the day remained clear: this property is now a sanctuary. A place for healing, reflection and the simple joy of watching trout rise in a limestone stream, exactly as Dr. Clair imagined.
For information on accessing the property, veterans may contact the Spring Creek Chapter of Trout Unlimited through its website.
