bcooke@themonroetimes.com
MONROE - Friends, family and colleagues joined together at Gentz Electric of Monroe Friday to honor the man they knew as "Big Jer," a successful business owner who gave back to the community by supporting youth activities and spending years on the Monroe Fire Department.
Jerry Gentz owned his business for more than 30 years. Carol Dittmer, his companion of 36 years, also worked there with her youngest son Robert. Dittmer said Gentz would have likely noted the journey from humble beginnings to his success as one of the best things he achieved in life.
"I think his greatest accomplishment was that he started with nothing and look what he has now," Dittmer said. "He ended up with fleets of trucks, worked all over the state; and he has a very good reputation."
Dittmer noted that people had been coming into the business throughout the week since Gentz died Sunday.
"Everybody remembers," she said.
Part of his success was due to a stubborn personality, Gentz's brother Dan noted.
"He had his way of doing things, but he was a great guy," Dan said. "He really started with nothing and built it up. He was the type of guy who would come in the office at 3 o'clock or 4 o'clock in the morning and made sure things got done. I'll miss the guy."
Jerry was born Aug. 1, 1945. He grew up in Highland, eventually graduating from Highland High School. But even before that, he was running his own business. Dan said his brother learned TV and radio repair from their father Tony. Jerry operated "Gentz TV" when he was 17. He moved to Monroe with his wife Sarah Williams. The pair had a daughter named Jennifer.
Eventually, Jerry went to work for Modern Housing Inc. of Monroe, taking the electrical division over for the company in late 1985 and working on the first Walmart store in Wisconsin, formerly in the 400 block of 8th Street. Dittmer joined his new business with her youngest son Robert and continues to work there now. She, her two sons David and Robert, Timothy Gerber and Terry Beutel were transferred ownership May 1, Carol said.
Jerry performed electrical work on the newest Walmart in Monroe, a supercenter built from August 2008 to September 2009 just north of Wisconsin 11.
He went on to perform electrical work on 23 other stores throughout southern and eastern Wisconsin as well as two Sam's Club stores, Dittmer said. She added that the company had recently been contracting with Menards.
A devoted fan of the Green Bay Packers, a certificate for 50 shares of Packers stock hangs in his office, still crowded with guidebooks, blueprints and notes on job documents. Carol said Jerry's favorite player was Brett Favre, once proving it at an auction by spending $3,000 to win a photo of the retired quarterback.
Carol and Dan both pointed to Jerry's work not just as an electrician, but his drive to give back to his community. Dan said his brother sponsored athletic matches and the band. Carol noted Jerry gave money to help youth who wanted to take part in activities at the Green County YMCA.
He even set up scholarships for students in his hometown, Dan added.
"He was quite a guy," he said of his brother.
The headstrong qualities Dan said Jerry possessed throughout his life helped him in the bad times, too. Carol said nine years ago, Jerry was diagnosed with throat cancer. He was treated with radiation at the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center and beat it. But two years ago, doctors found a melanoma on the back of his head. This time, treatment wasn't helping.
"They told him he only had three months to live if he didn't have chemotherapy," Carol said. "It wasn't working. They just decided there's no sense making him go through all the pain and everything that's with it. He was a fighter right up until the end. Some people just give up; he didn't."
MONROE - Friends, family and colleagues joined together at Gentz Electric of Monroe Friday to honor the man they knew as "Big Jer," a successful business owner who gave back to the community by supporting youth activities and spending years on the Monroe Fire Department.
Jerry Gentz owned his business for more than 30 years. Carol Dittmer, his companion of 36 years, also worked there with her youngest son Robert. Dittmer said Gentz would have likely noted the journey from humble beginnings to his success as one of the best things he achieved in life.
"I think his greatest accomplishment was that he started with nothing and look what he has now," Dittmer said. "He ended up with fleets of trucks, worked all over the state; and he has a very good reputation."
Dittmer noted that people had been coming into the business throughout the week since Gentz died Sunday.
"Everybody remembers," she said.
Part of his success was due to a stubborn personality, Gentz's brother Dan noted.
"He had his way of doing things, but he was a great guy," Dan said. "He really started with nothing and built it up. He was the type of guy who would come in the office at 3 o'clock or 4 o'clock in the morning and made sure things got done. I'll miss the guy."
Jerry was born Aug. 1, 1945. He grew up in Highland, eventually graduating from Highland High School. But even before that, he was running his own business. Dan said his brother learned TV and radio repair from their father Tony. Jerry operated "Gentz TV" when he was 17. He moved to Monroe with his wife Sarah Williams. The pair had a daughter named Jennifer.
Eventually, Jerry went to work for Modern Housing Inc. of Monroe, taking the electrical division over for the company in late 1985 and working on the first Walmart store in Wisconsin, formerly in the 400 block of 8th Street. Dittmer joined his new business with her youngest son Robert and continues to work there now. She, her two sons David and Robert, Timothy Gerber and Terry Beutel were transferred ownership May 1, Carol said.
Jerry performed electrical work on the newest Walmart in Monroe, a supercenter built from August 2008 to September 2009 just north of Wisconsin 11.
He went on to perform electrical work on 23 other stores throughout southern and eastern Wisconsin as well as two Sam's Club stores, Dittmer said. She added that the company had recently been contracting with Menards.
A devoted fan of the Green Bay Packers, a certificate for 50 shares of Packers stock hangs in his office, still crowded with guidebooks, blueprints and notes on job documents. Carol said Jerry's favorite player was Brett Favre, once proving it at an auction by spending $3,000 to win a photo of the retired quarterback.
Carol and Dan both pointed to Jerry's work not just as an electrician, but his drive to give back to his community. Dan said his brother sponsored athletic matches and the band. Carol noted Jerry gave money to help youth who wanted to take part in activities at the Green County YMCA.
He even set up scholarships for students in his hometown, Dan added.
"He was quite a guy," he said of his brother.
The headstrong qualities Dan said Jerry possessed throughout his life helped him in the bad times, too. Carol said nine years ago, Jerry was diagnosed with throat cancer. He was treated with radiation at the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center and beat it. But two years ago, doctors found a melanoma on the back of his head. This time, treatment wasn't helping.
"They told him he only had three months to live if he didn't have chemotherapy," Carol said. "It wasn't working. They just decided there's no sense making him go through all the pain and everything that's with it. He was a fighter right up until the end. Some people just give up; he didn't."