Hollister resident
Gerald G. “Jerry” McGrath died Saturday, April 12, 2003 at Gilroy Health Care. He was 70.
Mr. McGrath was born in Chicago and had lived in Hollister for five years. He received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in counseling from Santa Clara University. He was president of the university’s student body and returned to become its first dean of men, as well as serving as dean of students in the 1960s. Earlier, he taught English and coached basketball at Bishop O’Dowd High School.
After retiring from SCU, he went into private practice in counseling and consulting. Having experienced “the blessings of recovery,” in his words, he spent the last 10 years of his professional life teaching and counseling at the Family Center at the Hazelden Foundation in Minnesota, the premier recovery center for alcoholism and drug addiction. While living in Hollister he served on the San Benito County Grand Jury and pursued his interest in photography.
He is survived by his children and their spouses, Wendy and Peary Krafft and Joe and Suzanne McGrath, all of Hollister, Megan McGrath and her husband, Sam Smith of Fremont, Kathleen and Mike Davey of Campbell, Sheila and Chuck Martins of Ft. Bragg and Jim McGrath of Chandler, Ariz.; his brother, Robert McGrath of Wichita, Kan.; 10 grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Per Mr. McGrath’s wishes, arrangements for cremation have been made through Grunnagle-Ament-Nelson Crematory. Arrangements for a memorial ceremony will be scheduled in the near future.
Memorials are preferred to the Santa Clara University Family Scholarship Fund or the Hazelden Family Center, in care of the funeral home.
