Bede Estelle (Piercy) Gooch passed away at 3:57 am November 7, 2022 at Green Tree Assisted Living in Mount Vernon, IL.
She was born in Mount Vernon to Homer and Anna Piercy on September 30, 1921, and was 101 years old.
Mrs. Gooch was primarily a traditional stay-at-home Mom and homemaker. She grew up with her sister, Allene Morgan, and brother, Paul Piercy, on the Piercy Farm at the corner of N Boyd Lane and Richview Road northwest of Mount Vernon. After graduating from Mt Vernon Township High School in 1938, Bede attended Southern Illinois University before transferring to University of Illinois in Urbana where she earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Education.
She was married to Jay Doyle Gooch in 1950, and they made a home in Urbana where they raised 3 lovely children. She lived in Urbana for over 70 years until 2021 when she moved back to Mt Vernon to be close to remaining family.Between college degrees, Bede taught at the Webb one-room school on the “Piercy Corner”, the same school she had attended as a child. Upon graduating from U of I, she taught at Casey Junior High School in Mt Vernon, the Switzer School (now defunct) in Champaign and the Urbana High School, where she was a women’s basketball coach before it was fashionable. She was a lifelong basketball fan, following especially the games of the Fighting Illini up to her transition.
After her children reached school age, Bede was an active member of the Urbana School PTA and served on the school’s advisory board. She also served on the Urbana Parks District Council, was a perennial poll-watcher, substitute teacher and a dedicated member of the Carle Hospital Auxiliary for 28 years.
Bede was a long-time member of the First Presbyterian Church of Urbana, although health problems precluded her attendance in recent years.Mrs. Gooch is survived by her 3 children, Richard Paul Gooch of Palo Alto, CA, Carol Sue Westerman of Naples, Florida, and Sherwin Jay Gooch of San Jose, CA. Grandma is also survived by her 3 grandchildren, Stuart Jay Westerman of Austin, TX, Androcles “Andy” Seymour Gooch of Sunnyvale, CA, and Iris Lovee of Sacramento, CA. Other local surviving family includes nieces Linda Williams, Peggy Clymer, Jean Lofflin, Sharon Taylor, and Joyce Mann; and nephew Jack Piercy, all of Mount Vernon. Bede was lucid to the end, and will be greatly missed.
Visitation will be held Thursday, December 1, 2022 from 10:00 am to 11:00 am at Hughey Funeral Home in Mount Vernon. Funeral Services will begin at 11:00 am with Mr. Marty Mills officiating. Interment will follow at New Shiloh Cemetery in Mount Vernon.In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made in Bede’s memory to the First Presbyterian Church of Urbana, IL.Call Hughey Funeral Home at 618-242-3348 or visit hugheyfh.com for further information.