Obit: Longridge, Jerry (1944 – 2020)

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Longridge, Mason, Buker

Source: Tribune/Record/Gleaner (Abbotsford, WI) 23 Sep 2020

Longridge, Jerry (20 APR 1944 – 12 SEP 2020)

Jerry Longridge, 76, Madison, formerly of Greenwood, died on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Madison.

He was born on April 20, 1944, to Lloyd and Zelda (nee Mason) Longridge. He was their only child. Jerry attended Hemlock School, a one-room country school, and graduated from Greenwood High School. After high school, he went to UW-Eau Claire and graduated with a degree in microbiology. He earned his master’s degree at UW-Madison. He then went to work for UW-Madison and spent two years in Columbia, South America. He spent the rest of his career working at UW-Madison in research of pesticides until his retirement. Jerry loved playing football in high school for his coach, Cy Buker, who was a real hard-nose and made Jerry into a man. He also enjoyed being in the Braun Settlement 4-H Club. Jerry had many interests, most of them in the outdoors. He loved turkey hunting in the spring. During the summer, he enjoyed going down by Fairchild and pursuing trout fishing in the many streams of that area. He also had a huge flower and vegetable garden every year and he shared produce with many people. In the fall, he loved bow and gun hunting for deer. During the winter, he loved ice fishing on the Madison Chain of Lakes for perch and bluegills. Jerry belonged to the Black River Bowmen’s Club. Also, in Madison, he belonged to the Madison Bowmen’s Club, which held many charity fundraising events in which he participated. He enjoyed being a steward of his land. Jerry gave back to the environment each spring by planting thousands of trees with the help of his friends, who always ended up being Bruce and Billy.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd and Zelda Mason Longridge.

His ashes will be spread in the spring at the family’s old homestead, which was better known as “the spook house.”

(Additional Note: I roomed in an apartment with Jerry for two years during college.  Our mothers made food for us each week.  I remember Jerry's mom was a very good cook.  He gave me rides to and from Eau Claire each week, as I had to come home weekends to work at Stewarts Redville Dairy and see my girlfriend, who I married after my second year of college.  We just celebrated 55 years of marriage.  Even though I have not seen Jerry in recent years, I did appreciate the time we got to spend together in college.    by Stan Schwarze)