William "Jerry" Strong Jr.

William “Jerry” Strong Jr., age 78, passed away peacefully on the morning of December 5th, surrounded by loved ones, after a brief illness. Born in Goshen, he was preceded in death by his loving parents, Gerard and Doris Strong, and his dear sister-in-law Marilyn Lebediker.

Jerry is survived by his wife of 19 years, Arlene (Winters) Strong of Bloomingburg; his son, Gerard Strong of Milwaukee, WI; his daughter, Bridget (Strong) Olson of Goshen, and her husband, Scott Olson; and his cherished grandson, Parker. He lovingly raised Gerard and Bridget with his former wife, Kathleen Strong Kreitzer. He is also survived by his brother, Michael Strong of Florida, and Michael’s children, Beth Strong and Jeffrey Strong, along with Jeffrey’s wife, Melinda. Additionally, Jerry is survived by his brother-in-law, Joe Lebediker, his nephews, Jeremy Lebediker and his wife, Kristine, and Elliot Lebediker and his wife, Trish, as well as great nephews Evan, Jacob and Aaron and great niece Mia.

After graduating from Goshen High School, Jerry proudly served in the U.S. Navy before beginning his law enforcement career with the Chester Police Department. He went on to serve over 20 years with the Goshen Village Police Department, retiring in 2000 after a dedicated 30-year career in law enforcement. He also volunteered for a time with the Dikeman Fire Department.

Jerry was a man whose heart always belonged to Goshen. He carried with him a deep pride in his hometown and the experiences that shaped him. In his youth, he played multiple sports, including baseball, basketball and football. When he became a father, he became one of his children’s biggest sports fans—always on the sidelines cheering them on and even throwing his hat in to coach. In recent years, nothing made him happier than watching his grandson follow in his footsteps, attending Goshen and playing baseball for the varsity team.

He also had a lifelong passion for automobiles and took great pride in caring for them. His cars were always kept in pristine condition, a reflection of the attentiveness and care he brought to the things that mattered most to him. Whether driving around town or setting off on longer trips with his love Arlene, his vehicles were a source of joy, and he loved taking them on scenic routes to places such as Cooperstown, Saratoga, Massachusetts and countless destinations in between.

Jerry will be remembered for his loyalty, his dry humor, his pride in his family, and his unwavering love for the community he called home.

Services for Jerry will be held from 4:00pm to 7:00pm at Donovan Funeral Home on Friday, Dec 12th. The funeral will be Saturday at 11:00am at St. John’s Cemetery in Goshen. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation, the American Cancer Society or the Goshen Baseball Boosters club.