Arthur Joseph Gugerty

Arthur Joseph Gugerty, 88, of Ohio, IL, died Thursday October 1, 2020 at Perry Memorial Hospital in Princeton.

He was born August 26, 1932, in Ohio, the son of John Elmer and Margaret Ann (Doran) Gugerty. He married Lucilla Michlig on Nov. 8, 1952, at St. Louis Catholic Church in Princeton. Art served in the United States Navy from 1952-56 and sailed the world as a radarman aboard a destroyer escort.

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stayed this beloved rural mail carrier from being a civic-minded supporter of his home town of Ohio. He was a school board president and a member of the booster club, a volunteer firefighter and a Little League coach. After ending his rural mail route with three decades of service and 650 thousand miles driven, he worked at Citizens First State Bank in Walnut as a financial advisor.

Art was an avid golfer at Green River Country Club in Walnut and the courses at Betmar Acres in Zephyrhills, Florida, where he and Lucy wintered for 25 years. He served as president of the golf boards at both locations. He was an active volunteer at Betmar, and a president of Walnut Rotary.  He was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Ohio. A dedicated sports fan, he was an ardent backer of the Bears, Bulls and especially the White Sox.

He loved his family and his wife, Lucy, and their marriage is a model for the generations that followed. He loved his seven children and had time for them all throughout their lives. He loved being with, and teasing, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Surviving is his wife of 67 years, Lucy; three sons, James (Elisa) Gugerty of Tuscon, Arizona, Joseph (Judy) Gugerty of Ohio and Jerry (Kelsey) Gugerty of Princeton; three daughters, Catherine of Ohio, Colleen (Tom) Yucus of Ohio and Karen (Jay) Payan of Sterling; seventeen grandchildren, Sean Gugerty, Michael (Teresa) Gugerty, David Gugerty, Timothy Gugerty, Christopher (Chelsey) Yucus, Matthew (Ashley) Yucus, Jennifer Yucus, Mark Yucus, Abram (Gracie) Yucus, Sarah (Jeff) Egan, Carly (James) Wike, Jake (Shelby) Payan, John Payan, Cate Payan, Josh Payan, Rhylan Hubbard-Gugerty, Greyson Hubbard-Gugerty; seven great-grandchildren, Grace Egan, Colton Egan, Sophia Egan, Eleanor Wike, James L. Wike, Charlotte Wike, and Magnus Yucus.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his son, Jeffrey Gugerty, two sisters, Mary Devine and Charlene Cooper; and brother, Jack Gugerty.

Masks and social distancing will be enforced for a private family visitation on Saturday, October 10, 2020 from 10:00-11:00 A.M. at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Ohio, IL. Private family Celebration of the Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11:00 A.M. at the church with Reverend Thomas Shaw, Celebrant officiating. Burial will be at St. Mary Catholic Cemetery in Ohio.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Mary’s Cemetery in Ohio.

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