- Date Of Birth: October 27, 1930
- Date Of Death: July 13, 2017
- State: Illinois
Jerrold Charles Whitchurch, 86, of Centralia passed away on July 13, 2017 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Centralia.
Jerrold was born on October 27, 1930 in Centralia to Harry Robert Whitchurch and Lula Ann (King) Whitchurch. He married Patricia (Pat) Mollet on October 19, 1969 at her parents’ home in rural Greenville, IL.
Jerrold is survived by his devoted wife of 47 years, Pat; two sons, Mike Whitchurch and wife, Janet, of Mt. Zion, and Patrick Whitchurch and wife, Melissa, of Sleepy Hollow; one daughter, Polly Whitchurch, of Maryland Heights, MO; five grandchildren, Sarah, Anna, Arthur, Elysa, and Colin Whitchurch, all of Sleepy Hollow; one sister, Shirley Prewitt, of Benton; sister- and brother-in-law Doris and Carl Jacobs of Decatur; brother- and sister-in-law Marshall and Carla Mollet of Greenville; brother-in-law Gerald Jenner of Alhambra; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Joan (Whitchurch) Hester; one brother, David Whitchurch; three brothers-in-law, Wilfred (Cotton) Hester, Bob Martin, and Bill Prewitt; and one sister-in-law, Raydell (Jones) Whitchurch. When he was 6 years old, Jerrold contracted the polio virus. The virus devastated the muscles in his legs, and doctors thought he would never walk again.
He proved the experts wrong, though, and spent most of the rest of his life helping on, and eventually operating, his family farm. He raised Guernsey dairy cows and grew corn, soybeans, and other crops. He spent winters providing tax preparation services to customers in the area. He was a graduate of Zion Hill Grade School and Centralia Township High School.
Jerrold was a strong supporter of youth activities. He faithfully attended his children’s academic and athletic events, made sure they got to all their practices, and assisted with 4-H projects. He also served on the Marion County 4-H Youth Council. He was an avid fan and season ticket holder of the Centralia Orphans and Annies basketball teams. He was a longtime member of Zion Hill Baptist Church. There, he was the Sunday School secretary for many years, and also served as a trustee.
