Gerald Phillip Waite

life story

A cheerful and loving husband, father and friend all his days

A parting glass

After 83 happy years, beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend, Dr. Gerald Phillip Waite sang his last song in the peaceful, waning hours of January 26, 2026, surrounded by family. A teacher, gardener, journalist, thoughtful observer, marveller of beauty all around him, Gerry had a full, grateful, cheery heart to the end.

Born in Fond du Lac, Wis., the third child of six, he grew up loving the outdoors, team sports, cowboy music, books, learning, all of which he pursued in happy memories at Holy Cross Seminary in far-away South Bend, Indiana. He finished high school at St. Mary’s Springs Academy, Fond du Lac. Gerry was an officer in the US Army Reserve, 1964-1970. As a college student at the University of Notre Dame, a professor encouraged Gerry’s gifts with words and instruction. After graduating with top honors, Gerry went on to earn his Master of Arts and PhD at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. While a grad student, he honed his journalism skills at the copy editor’s desk of the Milwaukee Sentinel. His matchmaker sister struck the right chord introducing Gerry to her friend, Susan Eckenrod, who was willing to overlook the shamrock tattoo on his forearm. Gerry and Sue were married in 1965, and their love and five children would form a deep and lasting strength.

Professor ‘Doc’ Waite’s lessons, mentorship, humor and kindness reached so many students first in the English and Journalism Departments at Slippery Rock State College, and then Northern Michigan University, 1976-2001. In retirement, he enjoyed writing and editing projects, including helping his church and diocese, and contributing his monthly language and usage column, A Word To the Wise, in the Marquette Monthly. He earned many awards for teaching and advising, but more important to him were the lives he affected, nurturing like a father figure, especially the North Wind student newspaper ‘family.’ Doc took particular joy in the April Fool’s edition, a place to redirect the otherwise serious business of news to a silly dimension, pleased with one issue poking fun at him, as “Professor Dead Waite.”

Gerry was motivated by the dignity of living things which governed his approach with strangers and loved ones alike. His five children were taught to pray, work hard, ask questions, go confidently and appreciate each day, cheering even tiny flowers between grass blades. Meals were celebrations, with blessing and heaping praise at his stroke of luck marrying a gourmet cook. Lessons were frequent on the subjunctive mood, avoiding the passive voice and maintaining subject-verb agreement – but never like your life depended on it. He showed love by teasing, and he downplayed unpleasantness. He read bedtime stories like he was auditioning for a PBS miniseries, with heavy accents, a range of voices and high drama.

Always accessible, if he wasn’t in his home office grading papers puffing on his pipe, he might have been found chopping firewood by hand, casting a trout line in the Chocolay, or weeding the radishes while Bob Uecker gave the play-by-play through the bedroom window. Moving to the UP, he became an avid cross country skier, often after a day of teaching, returning home to boast, “no girls passed me today!”

He valued human decency and pursuits of culture, leading by example to check your sources, mean what you say, and show up generous and authentic with respect, humor and humility. More than 50 years of hosting song-filled St. Patrick’s Day parties can attest. He embraced an ethos of leaving things better than he found them. Gerry and Sue took hikes and canoe rides with empty trash bags, coming home with them full. His stewardship included creating a massive vegetable garden, which he carved out of a hillside and chronicled in years of journals. If you stopped by, you got a tour – unless you preferred a horseshoe game.

Old reporter instincts had Gerry inquisitive with almost anyone he met, whether they were taking his blood pressure, doing his taxes, or had just cleaned out the septic tank, and if you happened to be sporting anything with the beloved Fighting Irish logo, you got extra attention. He proudly went about town wearing T-shirts from his grandchildren’s colleges, alternating with the shirt printed with a grandchild group photo until it was so worn out, pieces of the photo transfer flaked off, and he was given an updated one.

Gerry loved a sweet melody, and could imitate a thrush with his whistle. His vast memory for classical verse and literature was matched by his deep store of 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s popular music and radio ad jingles, not to mention traditional Irish songs. You might say a phrase that sparked a melody out of the blue. He readily quoted Latin, Greek, Shakespeare, Yeats, Swift, but was just as quick to sing “Mention My Name in Sheboygan,” by the Everly Brothers while driving past the road sign. And car rides, he was happiest taking the scenic route, stopping at every “hysterical” marker along the way, usually ending up at an ice cream stand. He didn’t miss a chance to point out a great cribbage hand in a mundane place such as a license plate or odometer reading.

Gerry lived his deep faith, giving of his time at church on committees, singing in the choir, on Parish Counsel, St. Michael’s School Board, and the UP Catholic newspaper. He coached his kids’ baseball and softball teams, and himself played in the keg league, even running in the Big Bay Relay one year. He was a champion blood donor at the Red Cross, and swung a hammer at several Habitat houses.

He was preceded in death by parents Philip and Genevieve Waite, and brother Patrick. He will live on in the memory of his wife of 60 years, Susan (Eckenrod) Waite, their five children and spouses: Bridget and Tim Appleberry, Louisville; Matt and KP Waite, St. Paul; Greg and Kay Waite, Houghton; Michael and Erica Waite, Marquette; Nora and Jared Smith, Marquette; 13 adored grandchildren, Maura, Tessa, Aya Jane, Joey, John, Helen, Moses, Billy, Audrey, Seamus, Benjamin, Isley and Harvey; brothers and sisters Phyllis Hosking, Sheila Schmitz-Lammers, Paul Waite and Mark Waite.

Memorial Mass will be Feb. 27, 2026, at 1 pm, at St. Michael Catholic Church, 401 W. Kaye Ave., Marquette, with ashes buried at a later date. Gerry would have lamented the length of this writing, as he liked to quote Shakespeare, that “brevity is the soul of wit,” but this seems to only scratch the surface. If you find yourself singing a tune you don’t recall hearing before, it might be Gerry letting you know it’s always best to keep on the sunny side of life. In lieu of flowers, please consider a charitable donation to an organization that is meaningful to you. Website links to some of Gerry’s favorites can be found below.

memorial service

Memorial Mass

February 27, 2026

Saint Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, Marquette 401 W Kaye Ave, Marquette, MI 49855, USA

A visitation will be held at the church at Noon before the service.

Funeral/Cremation Provider: Canale Tonella Funeral Home and Cremation Services