The Van Wert County Courthouse

Friday, Mar. 29, 2024

Gerald D. Thatcher

Gerald D. Thatcher, 85, of Lima, passed away at 10:02 a.m. Tuesday, January 12, 2021, at Mercy Health in Lima.

Gerald D. Thatcher

He was born November 12, 1935, in Van Wert, the son of Chester W. and Ruth M. (Klinger) Thatcher, who both preceded him in death. On April 1, 1956, he married the former Esther Price, who survives in Lima.

Other survivors include his three daughters, Brenda (Richard) Drost of Tucson, Arizona, Barbara (Scott) Feiereisel of Walnut Creek, California, and Beverly (David) Tuttle of Bluffton; a son, Jerry (Johanna) Thatcher of DeSoto, Texas; one sister, Juanita Lehman of Lake Zurich, Illinois; 15 grandchildren, Joshua (Julie) Drost, Caleb Drost, Hadassah Drost (Ricardo Leyva), Jarrod (Taryn) Shappell, Jordan Shappell, Justin (Carrie) Feiereisel, Shana Velazquez, Taylor Feiereisel, Brady Feiereisel, Spencer Tuttle, Abby Tuttle, Aaron Thatcher, Ethan Thatcher, Andrew Thatcher, and Hannah Thatcher; and 16 great-grandchildren.

He was a 1953 graduate of Van Wert High School and 1955 graduate of Fort Wayne Business College. He was a long-time member of Calvary Evangelical Church in Van Wert, where he had served as lay leader and Sunday school teacher. While at Primrose he led a weekly Sunday service. Gerald retired from Central Mutual Insurance Company as senior vice president and treasurer. He was also involved with Gideons, Rotary, and on the board of directors of the Marsh Foundation.

A private service will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, January 17, and will be available online at https://calvaryelife.online.church or the church Facebook page. Burial will follow in Woodland Cemetery in Van Wert.

Visitation is from 2-5 p.m. Saturday, January 16, at Cowan & Son Funeral Home in Van Wert. Those attending should observe Covid-19 protocols, using face coverings and keeping social distances. 

Preferred memorials: Gideons International.

Condolences may be expressed on the Tribute Wall at cowanfuneralhome.com.

POSTED: 01/14/21 at 2:53 pm. FILED UNDER: Obituaries