GERALD R. SUESS SR

GERALD R. SUESS SR

BOARDMAN - Gerald R. Suess Sr., 86, passed away Friday morning, Aug. 23, 2019, at St. Elizabeth Boardman Hospital.

Mr. Suess was born June 16, 1933, in Akron, a son of the late Adam and Elizabeth McFarland Suess.

In 1949, Jerry’s family made their home in Boardman, and he graduated from Boardman High School in 1951. He went on to receive his Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from Baldwin Wallace College in 1955. Jerry began his teaching career at Greenford High School as a Drivers Education instructor and later Physical Education teacher. He went on to teach at Crestview and retired from Jackson-Milton High School as a Health and Physical Education Teacher.

An all-around athlete, Jerry was a baseball pitcher and basketball player and a three-year letterman at Baldwin Wallace College. His career point total was 1111. During his college career, Jerry was proud to have played at Madison Square Garden, where he played against Maurice Stokes of St. Francis of Pennsylvania and also the Harlem Globetrotters.

In Class AA Baseball, he was a Sandlot Stand Out for the Home Club and McKelvey’s. He was drafted by the Kansas City A’s and played for two years before suffering a knee injury.

Jerry was inducted into the Curbstone Coaches Hall of Fame, the Old Timers Baseball Hall of Fame, and the Baldwin Wallace College Hall of Fame. In 1980, Jerry was the very first basketball player to be inducted into the Boardman High School Hall of Fame. Jerry loved to golf and was a member of the Y League. He was also a member of the Saxon Club, Eagles Post No. 213 and the Boardman Athletic Club.

He was a mentor, coach and sports hero to his two sons, Jerry and David, and he loved coaching their Little League team, the Uptown Kiwanis. He helped coach both his sons, Jerry’s and David’s teams to the championship.

To his family, Jerry will always be remembered as a great role model as a son, brother, husband, father and grandfather.

Jerry leaves to cherish his memory, his wife, the former Antoinette “Bippy” Navy, whom he married Sept. 20, 1958; two sons, Gerald (Cathy) Suess Jr. of Poland and David A. Suess of Boardman; one daughter, Debra (Bill) Suess Jeffries of North Jackson; five grandchildren, Doris (John) Stanko, Elizabeth Suess, Lacey (John) Rosati, Adam (Ashley Staton) Jeffries, and Tyler Jeffries; one great-grandson, Griffin Jeffries; one brother, Jack Suess of Dublin; and one sister, Joyce Cailor of Jacksonville, Fla.

Friends will be received Tuesday, Aug. 27, from 5 p.m. until 6:45 p.m. at the Davis-Becker Funeral Home in Boardman. A Memorial Service celebrating Jerry’s life will follow at the funeral home at 7 p.m., with Pastor Jack Acri officiating.

In lieu of flowers, Jerry’s family requests that memorial gifts take the form of contributions to the United Leukodystrophy Foundation, 224 North Second St., Suite 2, DeKalb, IL 60115, or www.ulf.org in Jerry’s name.

Visit www.beckerobits.com to send condolences.