Obituary of Norman R. Gauch

Rev. Norman R. Gauch, 61, of 1755 Martin Rd. Jamestown, NY, passed away unexpectedly at 10:06 a.m. Friday (July 9, 2010) in the emergency room of W.C.A. Hospital. A Jamestown area resident since 1991, he was born August 24, 1948 in Rochester, NY the son of Norman E. and Dorothy Hofschneider Gauch. Norm was a graduate of the Monroe High School in Rochester and earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Thiel College in Greenville, PA. and his Masters of Divinity Degree from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg in Gettysburg, PA. His first appointment following seminary was serving as pastor of the Trinity Lutheran Church in East Amherst, NY. He then served as pastor of the St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Buffalo, NY for 13 years before becoming pastor of the Bethel Lutheran Church in Jamestown in 1991, and where he has served so faithfully for the past 19 years. He will be remembered as a loving and caring husband, father, grandfather and pastor who loved all kinds of music. He enjoyed playing the guitar, banjo and piano and singing with his tenor voice. He loved being a member of the Temple III Trio and leading the contemporary service at church. He was very active in the Lake Chautauqua Lutheran Camp on Chautauqua Lake serving as an instructor for 20 years. Surviving are his wife the former Susan G. Peterson whom he married August 21, 1971, two sons Christopher C. (Keryn) Gauch of Pendleton, NY, Matthew L. Gauch of Raleigh, NC, his grandson Nathan R. Gauch of Pendleton and his sister Linda K.(Bill) Bemiller of Burbank, CA. The funeral will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday in the Bethel Lutheran Church. The Rev. Jeff Hedin, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Pittsford, NY will officiate. Interment will be in the Mt. Hope Cemetery, Rochester, NY at a later date. Friends will be received from 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. Tuesday in the Lind Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the Bethel Lutheran Church, 904 West Third St. Jamestown, NY 14701.