Jerry L. Golden, WJ9G SK GOLDEN, Ill. -- Jerry L. Golden, 76, of Golden, died Monday, June 4, 2018, at his home. Jerry was born June 17, 1941, in Quincy, to the late Eldon A. and Lila Mae (Gronewold) Golden. He married Betty Havermale on Aug. 25, 1962, at St. Francis Catholic Church in Quincy. Jerry was baptized and confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Golden, where he has been a lifetime member. At a very early age, Jerry had a love of anything to do with electricity and radio. He started out with a CB radio and it was through radio that he was able to meet the love of his life. Jerry and Betty lived on a farm west of Golden and farmed until 1989. In 1990 they moved to Golden and Jerry became a self-employed electrician. He wired many homes and grain bins. He partially retired in 2010, but continued to do electrical work for friends until his death. Jerry was a ham radio operator. He received his radio license in 1965, and was a lifetime member of ARRL. His proudest achievement was earning a 2 meter WAS Certificate #76 (WAS worked all states). Two meter is line of site communication. So to work Western, Eastern states, Hawaii and Alaska he and a friend built an antenna system that tracked the moon's movement across the sky. This enabled them to send a radio signal from Earth to moon and back to Earth (EME), which enabled him to earn his WAS Certificate. He also earned a WAS Certificate for 6 meters. Jerry was a beekeeper and gardener. He loved the arrival of the Purple Martins every spring and his greatest joy was going to his children and grandchildren's sporting events. Surviving are his wife, Betty of Golden; one daughter, Nancy Golden of LaGrange, Mo.; two sons, Ray (Shelly) Golden of Monmouth and Dan (Dana) Golden of Quincy; grandchildren, Sean Doyle of Phoenix, Ariz., Taylor Doyle of Oswego, Lane Ella Doyle of Oswego, Alyssa Golden of Chicago, Alexia Golden of Monmouth, and Casey and Kelly Golden of Quincy; one sister, Barbara (Gerald) Ridings of Livingston, Mont.; one aunt, Norma Taylor of Columbus, Ohio; sisters-in-law, Sandy (Rick) Meyer of Coopersville, Mich., Barbara (Terry) Van Camp of Springfield and Pat (Grant) Hildebrand of Hannibal, Mo.; brothers-in-law, John (Diana) Havermale of Hunnewell, Mo., Robert (Karen) Havermale of LaGrange, Mo., and Mike Havermale of Michigan; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. SERVICES: Memorial services will be 11 a.m. Thursday, June 7, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Golden with the Rev. Patricia Reep conducting. Private family interment will be at a later date. VISITATION: A memorial visitation will be 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 6, at Hunter Funeral Home in Golden. MEMORIALS: In lieu of flowers, to the Central Mini or Unity Pointe Hospice. ARRANGEMENTS: Hunter Funeral Home, Golden. WEBSITE: hunterfuneralhomes.com. Condolences may be expressed online at whig.com. Published in Quincy Herald-Whig from June 5 to June 7, 2018 https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/whig/obituary.aspx?n=jerry-l-golden&pid=189205764&fhid=8634
