Gerald V. DeCroce

He loved a good round of golf, black-and-white Westerns and rooting for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Gerald (Jerry) Vincent DeCroce passed away on December 4, 2019 after a long battle with multiple illnesses. He was 81.

Born in McKees Rocks, Penn., Jerry was the only child of Helen (DeMarco) and Albert DeCroce. As a young boy, he and his mother took the bus downtown for a lunch at the Woolworth counter followed by a matinee, instilling a lifelong appreciation for Hollywood movies.

He pursued acting in high school, and went on to professional work involving creative oversight of television commercials and print advertisements.

Jerry was a proud alumnus of Pennsylvania State University where he earned a degree in journalism. He spent his career with the Stouffer Foods Corporation in Solon, Ohio rising to the position of vice president of marketing.

A family man in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, he enjoyed attending his three children’s many events and traveling with his wife Phyllis (Wilson) DeCroce. The couple enjoyed many wonderful friendships as residents of Naples, FL for more than 25 years.

He is survived by his wife Phyllis; daughter Tracy DeCroce, her husband Michael Walsh and their daughter Meredith Walsh, 14; son Douglas DeCroce; and son Steve DeCroce.

Donations may be made to the American Heart Association or the American Diabetes Association. Funeral services will be private.