Father Gerald Fierro Chavez

Reverend Father Gerald F. Chavez
1947 – 2020


Father Gerry Chavez was born on January 17, 1947 in Tulare, California. He passed away peacefully on February 29, 2020, with his family by his side. Father Gerry attended schools in Tulare and graduated from St. Aloysius Catholic School. He attended Ryan Preparatory College in Fresno and Mount Angel Seminary, Mt. Angel, Oregon. Father Gerry was ordained on March 31, 1973 in Tulare. He served the diocese of Fresno from 1973 to 2017. He was placed on a permanent medical leave of absence in 2017. Father Gerry served the Diocese of Fresno for 47 years.

Father Gerry Chavez served the Diocese of Fresno at the Following Assignments:

Assignments
June 1, 1973--------------------Assistant Pastor, St. Therese, Fresno
June 2, 1975--------------------Assistant Pastor, St. Brigid, Hanford
July 1, 1976-------------------- Assistant Pastor, St. Joseph, Los Banos
February 21, 1979------------- Associate Pastor, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Clovis
December 9, 1980------------- Pastor, St. Joseph, Avenal
March 1, 1984------------------Pastor, Holy Family, Kingsburg and Santa Cruz Mission, New London
June 20, 1988-------------------Pastor, Sacred Heart Parish, Merced; Parochial Vicar, Our Lady of Mercy and St.
Patrick, Merced
July 13, 1989------------------- Parochial Vicar, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Bakersfield
July 1, 1991-------------------- Administrator, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Bishop
July 15, 1995------------------- Pastor, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Bishop
January 15, 2001---------------Pastor, Our Lady of Lourdes, Corcoran
October 31, 2005---------------Pastor, St. Peter, Lemoore
September 1, 2010-------------Parochial Vicar, St. Anne, Porterville
May 9, 2001--------------------Parochial Vicar, St. Francis of Assisi, Bakersfield
June 15, 2014------------------ Sacramental Priest, St. Aloysius, Tulare
March 18, 2016----------------Chaplain/In residence, Nazareth House, Fresno
May 1, 2017--------------------Permanent Medical Leave of Absence

Other Appointments
August 13, 1976--------------Diocesan representative, Board of Chaplains, Knights of Columbus State Council
June 20, 1979-----------------Chaplain, St. Agnes Medical Center, Fresno
June 10, 2002-----------------Member, College of Consultors
June 10, 2007-----------------Dean, Tulare/Kings Deanery
Sept. 21/07 – Sept. 30/08----In Hospitality; St. Brendan, Los Angeles (Sabbatical leave - health reasons)

Father Gerry is survived by his father, Pete, Tulare; his brother, Gene (his wife Toni), Tulare; niece, Antoinette Haugh (her husband James) and grand niece Carmen Olivia, San Francisco, and niece, Rebecca Chavez, Tulare. He was preceded in death by his mother, Esther Chavez. Father Gerry also leaves behind many cousins.
Father Gerry made many friends wherever his assignment took him and will truly be missed by many individuals and families.

Recitation of the Rosary will be on Sunday, March 8th at 6:00 pm at St Aloysius Catholic Church, Tulare, California. Funeral mass of the resurrection will be Monday, March 9th at 10:30 am at St Aloysius Catholic Church, Tulare, California. Interment will be at the Tulare District Cemetery, 900 E. Kern Ave., Tulare, California.

In Lieu of flowers, friends, make a donation in memory of Father Gerald F. Chavez to the building fund for St. Rita’s Catholic Church in Tulare, 954 S. “O” Street, Tulare, CA 93274.