“Jerry LaVerne Gahagan passed away on Thursday, January 25th, 2024 while a resident at Point Lookout Care Facility in Hollister, Missouri following a long illness.
Jerry was born on November 16th, 1939 to Norma (Sims) Gahagan and Avery Gahagan in Highlandville, Missouri . Jerry attended grade school at Highlandville, Missouri and high school in Walnut Grove, Missouri, graduating in 1958. In 1960 he married Sherrill Bryant. Their early years were spent in Galloway Missouri. During this time Jerry and (Sherrill) Sherry started their family giving birth first to Jerry (Kevin) Gahagan and Kimberly (Kim) Jo Gahagan. In the early 1960’s he joined the Army Reserves and served 8 years. He was honorably discharged in 1968. During his early working years and after the military, he worked at Royal McBee typewriter manufacturing in Springfield Missouri. Following that he was able to secure a job at UPS in Springfield, Missouri. He started in package delivery, primarily working the area North of Springfield. After a few years he then trained as a ‘Feeder Driver’. He truly loved that company and job.
In the late 1960’s he moved his family to a 30 acre farm in Fordland, Missouri. After a few years, he built a house about a hundred yards from his father and mothers house in Highlandville, Missouri. That is where he and his family lived for the next 20 years. Following that Jerry and Sherry moved to Hollister, Missouri, to a house on Taneycomo, where they lived 25 years. During this time they also had a house in Florida on a canal leading to the Gulf of Mexico where they later spent some of their Winter months following his retirement from UPS in the late 1990’s.
Jerry was an avid fisherman from the local freshwater rivers and lakes of the Southern Missouri area, to the salt waters of Florida, especially in the Gulf of Mexico, from Key-West to Cuba.
Jerry was a member of the “First Baptist Church” in Tory, Missouri for many years. Later he became a member of “First Baptist Church” in Hollister, Missouri, then attended “Real Life Church” in Hollister, Missouri as well as “Cortez Road Baptist Church” in Bradenton, Florida.
He was preceded in death by his brother Edwin Wayne Gahagan, his father Avery Gahagan, his daughter Kimberly Gahagan, his mother Norma Gahagan and brother Patrick Gahagan.
Jerry is survived by his wife, Sherrill Gahagan, his son Jerry Kevin Gahagan and wife Maria, his grandson Camerion Gholson and wife Mikayla, and granddaughter Lily Kim Gahagan, as well as nephews Michael and Shawn Gahagan and numerous relatives.
Jerry will be sadly missed by his family, and many friends.
Services will be Tuesday, January 30th, 2024 at Real Life Church on BB Hwy in Hollister, Missouri at 10:30 AM followed by a graveside farewell at the “Tory Cemetery” near Highlandville, Missouri.”
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Joyce Andrews for the maintenance and upkeep of Tory Cemetery
Joyce Andrews
605 N. Hawthorn Dr.
Nixa, Missouri 65714
