Gerard Lawrence Flad

Gerard Lawrence Flad left us, suddenly, on Saturday, May twenty-fourth, while sitting in the shade of the trees at his home on Shadow Lake Road. Jerry is survived by his five siblings, two amazing daughters, his grandson Antonie, and his devoted wife, Gretchen Distler. Jerry spent his final days doing what he loved best: walking the dogs, enjoying the sunshine, listening to baseball games, and making sure that those that he loved were taken care of in the best possible way. Jerry came from a humble place, by any circumstances, born and raised in the Irish Channel in New Orleans. While he grew up in times that were tough, he had drive and the enthusiasm of a strong character that allowed him to push through difficult times. And to retell them with grace and humor. Jerry and Gretchen moved to Blacksburg, VA in 1994 in search of a good life and a great place to raise a family. In Blacksburg they were surrounded by family and friends, old and new. The two of them created a place to nurture a family and they provided every opportunity, within their means, for Alanah and Iris. In his later years, Jerry was happy to see the success of his family and, beyond a doubt, delighted by the arrival of his grandson Antonie in the summer of 2023. That cheerful little boy was his pride and joy. Throughout his lifetime, Jerry was known as a passionate person; a man who could be fierce and stubborn, or tender and compassionate, as the occasion called. He had a natural instinct for knowing how to address problems and, however unorthodox, his instincts inevitably proved themselves true. Most of all, Jerry was a man who put the needs of other people above his own . Jerry had a great curiosity and an eclectic store of knowledge; he knew music, history, sports statistics; he most surely knew more quirky facts than just about anyone else on the planet. Jerry coached his beloved daughters in every sport they considered or played. He paced their fields of play as though every game were a World Series. Unconditional love was all and everything that Jerry knew about fatherhood. Where there was chaos, Jerry's voice rose above steady and reasonable. He had a deep faith in good outcomes and a fierce loyalty to his family, his roots, and the Chicago Cubs. Jerry was a man whose greatest ambition was fulfilled by a simple Sunday afternoon surrounded by his wife, his daughters, their men, his perfect grandson, and an ever-changing collection of rescue dogs. We lost him way too soon, but when he left us, Jerry Flad was a contented man. Gretchen, Alanah, and Iris cannot fathom a life without this man, this rock, who was the steady, adoring, eccentric center of their lives. A memorial service will be held on Friday, May 30, 2025, at 2:00 P.M. in the McCoy Funeral Home Chapel.