William "Jerry" Gerard Fuhrman

The Lord welcomed Jerry home on January 4, 2026, at age 88.

Please join us on March 21, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at Perinton Community Church, 636 High St Ext, Fairport, NY, for a celebration of joy for who he was, who he became, and the gift of Jerry’s life given by the Lord for all of us. March was very special to Jerry because of his birth and then his adoption by his loving parents Carl and Zelva Fuhrman.

Jerry was the loving husband of Susan for 66 years. He was predeceased by his son Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Fuhrman, sister Susan Waltuck, and brother-in-law Stephen Weber. He is survived by loving daughter Karen (Diane Crudden) Fuhrman, daughter-in-law Joyce Fuhrman, and grandson Dr. Carson (Dr. Shannon) Fuhrman. His family was important and much loved by him, including sister Carla Weber, sister-in-law Rev. Katherine (Dr. William) Pasch, brother-in-law Morey Waltuck, and many nieces and nephews. He was grateful for them and the many friends who blessed him as extended family.

The love of Jerry’s life, Sue, was his best friend for 72 years. They did not attend the same high school or college but kept their flame growing through dating and the art of letter writing. Their marriage, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, is a testament of their commitment to each other and their shared love of the Lord.

Jerry graduated from Charlotte High School (1955) where he excelled in many sports including football, wrestling, and track. He proudly received a football scholarship to Dartmouth College, however, early in his first semester he contracted polio and was unable to continue there. After recovering, he enrolled in SUNY Cortland and earned his Bachelor of Science in Physical Education (1960). He took graduate classes at the University of Rochester and completed his Master of Science in Education with Honors from SUNY Brockport (1969).

From 1961–1980 Jerry taught English and Physical Education at junior and senior high schools in the Rochester City School District at Edison, Monroe, Wilson, and Marshall, and was promoted to the city-wide Department Head of English. He coached wrestling, soccer, and tennis, co-authored a book on technical writing, and participated several times as an AP College Board Composition Reader. He was instrumental in providing access to more books for young adults and encouraging them to read.

Jerry was a doer who could get things done and instilled his strong work ethic in his children. He was never without a job of one kind or another and usually had part-time jobs to supplement. As a boy he had a variety that included newspaper delivery, candy and ice cream sales, clothing store model, bowling alley pin setter, grocery store stock boy, and perhaps his favorite (as a young man) a summer counselor at Camp Pathfinder in Algonquin Park. He also worked at Kodak and a hardware store.

He lent a hand in 1976 to manage a small construction company, and in 1980 he took a leave of absence from teaching to manage the building expansion of his local church, Parkminster Presbyterian, where he also served as an Elder and a Trustee.

He did not return to teaching but instead used his management skills working for Palmer Fish & Seafood, eventually purchasing and managing Perinton Seafood Market with Sue. In 1990 Jerry took on a management position at Antonelli Tires, then Firestone, and came full circle in his teaching career as Firestone’s education director for western New York, where he finished his formal working years and retired in 2002.

When Jerry’s son Jeff was installed as Pastor at Perinton Community Church, Jerry and Sue became active in that church, and Jerry served as an adult Sunday School teacher, church library manager and then as an Elder and Trustee. He was dedicated to serving the Lord and the church family there. In recent years, Jerry had begun attending Open Door Baptist church.

Jerry’s lifelong love of books connected him to libraries, too. In the 1970s he served on the Gates Public Library Board of Trustees. After his retirement, he returned to library service for two decades as a popular volunteer at the Chili Library. Many children skipped a turn at the checkout desk saying “No thanks, I’ll wait for Mr. Jerry,” so they could talk to him.

Jerry’s other favorite activities included crosswords, picture puzzles, and watching all kinds of sports. He always had a workshop for a variety of carpentry or repair projects. He spent many happy hours tractoring around his one-acre yard on his John Deere. He loved researching and writing family histories with Sue and was very skilled at gathering, curating, and assembling amazing photo albums and scrapbooks for himself, and as gifts for others. He was a multitasker who on a Sunday afternoon could simultaneously read a book, watch a game, engage in conversation, and “rest his eyes” without missing a beat. He enjoyed vacations to visit family and friends across the country, always “knew right where he was” without a map, and his favorite summer spot for many decades was the Fuhrman family’s summer cottage and farmhouse at the foot of Wolfe Island, in Ontario, Canada.

These are the dots on his resume, and the timeline of his life, but the best parts of who Jerry was carried through in everything he did. He loved being around family, friends, and all kinds of people. He was kind, caring, and gentle, a great conversationalist who was interested in other people’s ideas and experiences, and had a knack for getting even the shyest kids to open up. He had a very grateful heart and did not complain no matter what the circumstances, always thanked everyone who did anything for him, large or small. He had a wry sense of humor and could toss out a one-liner that brightened up even the direst circumstance. He adored his children, taught them by example how to live good lives, and had a very special bond with his grandson Carson. Jerry’s life motto was, “Trust in the Lord, and carry on.”

Jerry and his family were grateful for the many, many healthcare professionals and friends who gave such wonderful care to Jerry and Sue over the last two years.

Donations in his name may be made to the library of your choice in memory of Jerry’s love of reading and teaching.