Gerald McGough
March 21, 2019 - March 19, 2019

Gerald McGough, 84, of Jonesboro, passed away on Tuesday, March, 19. At birth, his mother named him Major Gerald McGough. He was known by his middle name because he felt his first name was confusing because many thought Major was a military title rather than his first name. Gerald was born in Craighead County and graduated from Bay High School and Arkansas State College. He earned his MA in French from Memphis State University and his PhD in comparative Literature from Vanderbilt University. He earned a Diploma in French phonetics and linguistics from the University of Besancon, France, and a Diploma in nursing from St. Joseph Hospital School of Nursing in Memphis. During the first half of his forty-year working career, Gerald taught French and senior college prep English at Newport High School and was an assistant professor of French and Comparative Literature at Memphis State University. During the second half of his career, he was Assistant Director of the School of Nursing at St. Joseph Hospital School of Nursing where he taught Pharmacology and Pathophysiology. In Memphis, he studies viola and violin at Rhodes College where he played viola in the Rhodes College/Community Orchestra and with the Alta Vista String Quartet. In Jonesboro, he played viola with the Arkansas State University orchestra and with the Northeast Arkansas Symphony. He was proceeded in death by his parents, Alfred Baxter McGough and Vera Irene Elder McGough of Bay, Arkansas, and by three brothers and two sisters. He is survived by nieces and nephews. Dr. McGough was a member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church where he was admired and loved by many. Memorial Services will be held at St. Mark’s on Wednesday, March 27, at 1:00pm with a reception to follow. The service will be officiated by The Rev. Dr. Joshua Daniel, followed by committal to the columbarium at St. Mark’s.