Rev. Gerald Goodrich

Gerald Goodrich of Hartland, WI, was called to his heavenly home on September 1, 2023.

Gerald was born to Vaughn and Elda (Schreiber) Goodrich on December 2, 1936, in the Town of Oak Grove, Dodge County, Wis. in the farm house on land that was homesteaded by his paternal great grandfather in the 1850s. After his father died when he was four years old, he and his mother went to live with his maternal grandparents. He went to the same one room school as his mother, then graduated from Beaver Dam High School. Gerald attended Columbia Co. Teachers College, Columbus, after which he taught elementary school for two years. He then graduated from UW-Oshkosh, and in turn, Garrett Theological Seminary, Evanston, IL, and Lutheran School of Theology (former Augustana Seminary), Rock Island, IL.

At Columbus, on the first day of classes, Gerald met June Whirry, who would become his wife on July 19, 1961. They were blessed with two children, Garrett and Gloria, who survive him along with his sister-in-law, Betty Whirry, and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by June in 2012.

Gerald was ordained as a pastor of the Lutheran Church on May 20, 1964. He served congregations in Wisconsin in Monona, Kenosha, Waterloo, and Fond du Lac. Following residency in a Clinical Pastoral Education program at St. Luke’s Hospital in Milwaukee, he became a chaplain for Shorehaven Homes in Oconomowoc. Following retirement, he served as an interim pastor for churches in Ashippun, Slinger, and Delafield. He also was a substitute organist/musician for several area churches, primarily at St. John’s United Church of Christ in Merton from 2012-2019. He also led an adult Bible study at Christ the King Church in Delafield, where he was a member. Memorials may be given to Christ the King Lutheran Church.

Gerry’s favorite Bible verse was John 15:16: “You did not choose me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last,” as an inspiration and challenge for all of life.

A visitation will take place on Saturday, September 16, 2023 at Christ the King Church (1600 N Genesee St, Delafield, WI 53018) from 9:30am-10:45am with the service to follow at 11:00am.