Let us pray in thanksgiving for the life of Fr. Gerald E. Goetz, SJ who died on December 30, 2025 at St. Camillus Jesuit Community in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. He was 83 years old. May he rest in peace.
Gerry is preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence and Lucille Lone (nee Norton), and his brothers, George and John.
Gerry was born in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, on January 29, 1942. He entered the Wisconsin Province of the Society of Jesus on August 14, 1960 at the Jesuit Novitiate in St. Bonifacius, Minnesota. He was ordained on May 11, 1973 at Saint Louis Cathedral in Saint Louis, Missouri, and pronounced final vows on March 16, 1979 at Marquette University High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
While in the Society, Gerry earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from Spring Hill College (1967). He also earned masters’ degrees in physics (1972) and divinity (1974) from Saint Louis University.
During regency, Gerry taught physics and chemistry at Marquette University High School (1967-1970). After ordination, Gerry returned to Marquette High where he taught physics (1974-1975; 1981-1983) and was principal (1977-1981). In addition, he was the superior of the Marquette High Jesuit Community (1975-1977). Gerry then was missioned to Jesuit Retreat House in Lake Elmo, Minnesota, (a.k.a. Demontreville) for over two decades where he was the assistant director (1983-1989) and the director (1989-2004). In addition, he was the superior of the retreat house Jesuit community (1989-2004).
After a well-earned sabbatical, Gerry focused his apostolic energies on caring for the Marquette University Jesuit Community as its minister (2005-2014). In 2014, Gerry was missioned to St. Camillus to care for his health.
Gerry was a devoted priest and Jesuit who expressed cura personalis primarily through his actions. He loved to tinker, repair objects, and puzzle out solutions to problems. When he saw something that needed fixing, he would repair it — whether that be boilers, HVAC units, the carpeting of rooms, fixing squeaky floorboards, or anything else. He was fascinated by computers when they became publicly available and taught himself to operate them. Always generous, Gerry used his computer skills to help others. Throughout Gerry’s life, everyone that encountered him understood that he truly cared about them and their well-being.
Fr. George Winzenburg, SJ, has these memories of Gerry:
Gerry loved being a priest. He had a thorough understanding of the liturgy and was filled with joy when he presided at Mass and preached. He also enjoyed being a spiritual director and retreat director. He had longtime lay friends who remained devoted to him. He was extremely generous with his time; Jesuits and lay people alike appreciated that he helped them without question or delay. His skills were multiple and impressive. He could make cabinets and build pole barns, fix computers and repair cars. Having learned the printing trade when he was a student at St. Lawrence Seminary, he excelled at designing and printing operating manuals, photo booklets, worship aids, and necrologies. He enjoyed motorcycle riding, camping, rafting, horseback riding, and cooking. After several knee surgeries limited his mobility, he moved to St. Camillus Jesuit Community in 2014 to care for his health.
Fr. Ronald Bieganowski, SJ, writes this about Gerry:
Gerry personified “cura personalis” from my experience and observation: simply put, Gerry cared, i.e., paid attention. He cared for others, cared for mission, and so cared for the work of the kingdom. His care shone through his careful attention to details for retreatants as well as for each retreat director’s personal preferences during his many successful years at Demontreville Retreat House, such care steadily shone through all his selfless efforts as minister to the Marquette Jesuit Community, and continued vigorously into his years at St. Camillus Jesuit Community where his attention to others showed through readily helping all with their computer problems, through creating a booklet of staff birthdays, to publishing a Jesuit supplement to the Roman Missal. Gerry cared for others.
Fr. Timothy Lannon, SJ, expresses his gratitude for Gerry with these words:
No word or phrase can ever capture a person, especially a Jesuit. Nonetheless, the word that keeps coming to my mind about Gerry Goetz is “generosity”. I have had the privilege of knowing Gerry since 1980 when I arrived at Marquette High as a regent. He made sure that I got settled and guided me in finding my way as a first year regent. He was always there to help: from fixing something, helping with IT issues, or providing guidance. My fondest memories of Gerry are two camping trips that three Jesuits from MUHS made with Gerry. He did everything: all the driving, setting up and taking down the tent, preparing our meals which were feasts, cleaning up as we decamped, presiding at Mass, . . . His generosity was based not only on his “way to do things”, but his desire to make sure that all had a relaxing time. He also gave me one of the greatest gifts of priesthood by inviting me to be one of the retreat directors at Demontreville. I will always be grateful to Gerry!
