Gerald Edgar Moody

OBITUARY OF GERALD EDGAR MOODY JULY 28, 1925 - February 8, 2020 “To every life there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the heavens. A time to be born and a time to die.” Ecclesiastes 3 Gerald Edgar Moody was born July 28, 1925, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to William Moody, Sr. and Mable Edison Moody. He was the youngest of two sons. His family relocated to Chicago, Illinois, when Gerald was a child, in search of better opportunities. He attended Wendell Phillips High School. Moved by the events of World War II, Gerald left his senior year of high school and enlisted in the United States Navy at the age of 17. He was stationed at Great Lakes, then San Diego to complete his basic training. Due to his aptitude for math and science, he was selected to attend Hampton Institute in Virginia where he received training to become an electrician. He went on to become an Electrician First Mate and a combat veteran—a rare accomplishment for African American members of the military at the time. He was deployed to Okinawa, Japan, where he served aboard the USS YNG-21 & 30. Upon his discharge in 1946 he returned to Chicago. On September 1, 1952, Gerald and Mary Freeman were united in marriage. To their union, three daughters were born, Sharon, Janice and Donna. Despite Gerald’s honorable discharge as a World War II combat veteran, he was denied opportunities to work as an electrician due to racial prejudice at the time. Needing to support his young family, he took many lower level jobs. Being a man of extraordinary courage and determination, he persevered until he was finally hiredfor his first job as an electrician by an African American owned contractor. He worked as an electrician for over forty years ultimately becoming a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 134—a rare accomplishment for an African American in the 1970s. Mary and Gerald were devout Christians and members of the Lutheran church. They raised their children to love and serve the Lord. Mary and Gerald taught their three daughters the value of education not just with words, but through their actions. Gerald returned to school and graduated from Wendell Phillips Evening High School on June 22, 1962, then went on to attend Wilson Junior College. After Gerald reached his educational goals, he supported and assisted his wife in graduating from Chicago Teacher’s College, then obtaining her master’s degree from Governors State University. They sacrificed and worked hard to achieve their goals, all the while leading their three children by example, producing an educator/counselor, a physician and an attorney. Gerald was an extraordinary athlete. He loved to swim and became a proficientlong-distance runner. He also loved to travel with his family, as he strongly believed it was important to show his daughters something greater than the community in which they lived in order to inspire higher achievement. In 1994, after helping raise their first granddaughter, Mary and Gerald relocated to Orlando to help their daughter, Donna and son-in-law Jéan, rear their three children. They were a constant fixture at every school event for their grandchildren including flag football, basketball, soccer games, fencing matches, ballet and piano recitals. Their decision to relocate to Orlando greatly enriched the lives of their children and grandchildren. On February 8, 2020, our beloved patriarch left his earthly body, surrounded by his loving family and entered the Kingdom of Heaven. He leaves to mourn Mary, his loving wife of 67 years, daughters Sharon Moody and Donna Wilson, his son-in-law Jéan Wilson, two granddaughters Keisha Moody and Jeanette Wilson, two grandsons, Jerald Wilson and Jéan Wilson, Jr, along with a host of other family members and friends. His third daughter, Janice Moody, predeceased him on May 26, 2019, and they now dwell in the house of the Lord together.

Gerald Edgar Moody

July 28, 1925 - February 8, 2020