James Richard DeGolier

Madison - Rev. James R. DeGolier, age 89, passed away on Sunday, June 19, 2011 at his home in Madison. Jim was born on August 26, 1921, in Elkhart, Indiana to Avery and Aline (Kelsey) DeGolier. He graduated from Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin and attended Nashotah House Episocpal Seminary before being ordained a priest in the Episcopal Church in 1947. Father ""D"", as he was called by many, first served St. James Episcopal Church in Milwaukee. He then accepted a call to St. Paul's Church in Watertown and later moved to Elm Grove, Wisconsin where he was the priest at St. Edmund's Episcopal Church for 22 years. In 1976, after his marriage to Virginia (Ginny), Jim moved to Madison to serve the Episcopal City Mission that included the city's hospitals. He also worked as a chaplain at the VA Hospital in Madison before retiring. Among Jim's many interests were cooking, reading, golf and traveling. He especially enjoyed times he spent in Tomahawk, Wisconsin, where he caught his only muskie.

He is survived by his wife, Ginny; son, Stephen (Jane) DeGolier of Rochelle, Illinois, step-sons, Hudson (Tammy) Peters of Cincinnati, Ohio and William (Margaret) Peters of Minneapolis, Minnesota; thirteen grandchildren, Sarah (Jeffery), Jennifer (Nicholas), Anne (Dennis), Alison (John), Elizabeth (Zachary), Michael, Shelly, David, Jennifer, Lauren, Andrew, Emma and Julia; and two great-grandchildren, Madailein and Caroline. He was preceded in death by his parents, half-brother Avery, brother, Gene, son, Thomas and Mary Elizabeth (Murphy) DeGolier.

A memorial service will be held at ST. DUNSTAN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, 6205 University Avenue, Madison on Tuesday, June 28, 2011 at 11:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church, 6205 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53705; Nashotah House Episcopal Seminary, 2777 Mission Road, Nashotah, WI 53058 or a charity of one's choice.