Reverend Father Gerard A. Verhoye

Geneseo, Illinois – The Reverend Father Gerard Joseph Verhoye, 94, was born into eternal life on Monday, July 18, 2016 at WoodRidge Supportive Living in Geneseo.  He peacefully accepted the diagnosis of Squamous Cell Carcinoma and embraced it as his prayerful preparation for eternal glory.  He served as a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Peoria for 67 years. 

A funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Anthony Catholic Church, Atkinson at 10:30 am on Thursday, July 21, 2016.  Most Reverend Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, Bishop of Peoria, will be present in choro and will offer the prayers of Final Commendation.  Reverend R. Anthony Lee, will preside.  Homily will be delivered by Father Thomas R. Brajkovich.  Burial will follow at St. Anthony Cemetery, Atkinson.   A luncheon will follow at St. Anthony Parish Hall.   Father’s body will lie in state at St. Anthony Church, Atkinson on Wednesday, July 20, beginning at 4:00pm.  A prayer service will be conducted at 7:00pm.  His body will continue to lie in state at the Church until the Mass of Christian Burial.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Joseph’s Indian School, 1301 North Main Street, Chamberlain, SD 57325, of which Father was a frequent supporter.  Vandemore Funeral Homes & Crematory in Atkinson is assisting with arrangements.

Father Verhoye was born on March 22, 1922 in Moline, Illinois.  He was the son of Charles Verhoye of Ruiselede Belgium and Bertha Van Poucke of Kaster Belgium. Father Verhoye attended Sacred Heart School in Moline and the former St. Joseph’s School, Rock Island.  He entered seminary at St. Bede College, Peru, Illinois, where he studied philosophy.  He studied theology at St. Paul Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota.  He was ordained on March 13, 1949 by Bishop Joseph H. L. Schlarman in the Bishop’s private chapel. 

Father Verhoye served God’s people as assistant pastor at St. Malachy, Geneseo, St. Joseph, Rock Island and St. Anthony, Atkinson.  In 1954 he was assigned assistant pastor of St. Joseph Parish, La Salle.  He next served as Chaplain at Mercy Hospital, Urbana.  In 1959 he was appointed Assistant Pastor of Immaculate Conception, Monmouth, where a year later he became Administrator.  From 1961 to 1971 he was Pastor of St. John, Galva.  From 1976 until he received Senior Priest Status in 1992, he served as Pastor of St. Anthony, Atkinson and St. Mary, Hooppole. 

In an interview on the occasion of his 60th priestly anniversary, Father Verhoye spoke about his vocation.  ''I debated about becoming a priest.  I did not know if I was smart enough or good enough.  I thought about becoming a priest when I was in grade school. When I was in high school I began to come to the conclusion that priesthood was my calling and that erased my doubts of being good enough or smart enough.  In my reading, I came across the name Saint John Vianney and I learned that he had some doubts, too, and he made it, so I thought maybe I could, too. I also came across the line in John’s Gospel, ‘I have chosen you, you have not chosen me’ (John 15:16), and, from that moment, I thought maybe Christ wanted me to reach certain people. That was in high school and that’s when I made my decision.”

Well known for his love of the Belgian sport, “Rolle Bolle,” Father Verhoye often would say the greatest day ever was when he won the Western League Championship.  He also enjoyed marksmanship with archery or firearms and hunting.

His was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Margaret Roland, who died in 1982.  He is survived by two nieces, Lisa Roland of Ashland, OR and Dana Cole of Tucson, AZ. 

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