Jerry L. Gocke

PORTAGE – Jerry L. Gocke, age 73, of Portage, passed away in his sleep, Friday, December 29, 2017.

Jerry was born on December 19, 1944, in Louisville, Kentucky, the son of Herman and Jean (Clark) Gocke.  He graduated from Chetek High School in 1963, and UW Eau Claire in 1967, with a communication degree.  Jerry served his country during the Vietnam War, stationed in Korea as a communication expert.  After the Army, he came to Portage as the Sports Editor of the Daily Register.  At that time, he met and married his wife of 45 years, June Joyce.  In the early ‘80’s, he changed jobs to become a 911 Dispatcher for the Columbia County Sheriff’s Department, until his retirement in 2011.  Jerry loved the outdoors:  fishing, hunting, hiking, camping, gardening and photography.  He looked forward to his Minnesota fishing trip every year.

He is survived by his wife, June Gocke of Portage;  two daughters, Jana Gocke, and Jessica (Matthew) Asch;  two grandchildren, Madalyn and Brayden Asch;  two sisters, Pat Sisloff, Indiana, and Mary Howard, Wisconsin;  his brother, Herman (Nancy) Gocke, Alabama;  other relatives and many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Herman and Jean Gocke, and two brothers-in-law, Don Sisloff and Richard Howard.  

Funeral services will be held at 12:00 noon on Wednesday, January 3, 2018 at the Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home in Portage, with Fr. Gary Krahenbuhl officiating.  Private family burial will be held.  Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service at noon at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family, to be used for a memorial bench to be placed on the Ice Age Trail.