Gerard “Jerry” Gougé, 69, of Hudson and formerly of Hayward, passed away on Saturday, October 26, 2019, at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, MN after a brief illness.

Jerry was born in Hayward on June 14, 1950, to Girard “Toy" and Doris (Isham)Gougé. He grew up on Lac Court Oreilles Reservation. Jerry attended St. Francis Solanus Grade School and graduated from Hayward High School before earning his degree in history at UW-Superior. He worked for the state of Wisconsin as an employment counselor and probation and parole officer in several Wisconsin cities before retiring in 2009. Jerry then moved from Verona to Hudson to be closer to his mother in Spooner and his mother-in-law in Eau Claire. Jerry’s greatest joy in life was traveling around the world with his wife JoAnn on cruises to the Caribbean, South America, Hawaii and Europe. Together they made many road trips to all 50 states and Canada and picked up his first of many National Park stamps at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. He even achieved a life goal of driving the entire coastline of the United States (except Alaska). Jerry also loved art and during his travels would go to art fairs and galleries looking for pottery and “naked tree and barn” pictures. He also enjoyed sports, watching the Dallas Cowboys and playing baseball, softball, tennis touch football, golf and poker in his younger years.

He will be greatly missed by his loving wife of 36 years, JoAnn Hium; brothers, James (Kim Milam) Gougé and Randall Gougé; sister-in-law Carolyn Gougé, and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews and great-great-nieces, as well as his entire Hium family.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Girard “Toy” and Doris Gougé; sisters, Marybeth Thunder, Cecile Gougé and Lois Gougé; and brothers, Willard Gougé Sr., and Alan Gougé.

A Memorial gathering will be held from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Sunday, November 17, 2019 at Pineview Funeral Service in Hayward. A luncheon will be held at 12:00 noon.

Memorials preferred to the Lac Court Oreilles school system.

Last Update: Nov 14, 2019 12:53 pm CST