Gerald "Jerry" Wilcox

Gerald "Jerry" Wilcox

Madison - Gerald Wilcox passed away on Sept. 18, 2018, at Meriter Hospital.

Born Sept. 15, 1940, to Frank and Gladys (Foesch) Wilcox, he graduated from Sheboygan Falls High School in 1959. He graduated with honors from the University of Wisconsin in 1963. He received a scholarship to attend Harvard Law School, and graduated in 1966.

Jerry is survived by his wife, Betsy, who cared for him with great devotion. Other survivors include his daughter, Wendy Wilcox; brother, Lee (Peggy) Wilcox; niece, Jennifer Wilcox Kahler, and her daughter, Libby; nephew, Allan (Shelly) Wilcox, and their sons, Cooper and Brayden. Jerry is further survived by his maternal uncle, Bob Gleffe; and cousins, Dan Brown, Jim Foesch and Timothy Foesch. Also surviving are many friends, including special friends, Hamdy and Sue Ezalarab and Julie Bleser, who have been steadfast in their support of him in sickness and in health. Preceding him in death were his parents and his son, Ryan, in 1996.

Jerry worked as an attorney with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue as a tax attorney. In 1978, he joined the Wisconsin Department of Justice, where he distinguished himself as a litigator representing the people, and saved taxpayers millions of dollars through court litigation. In 1980, he represented the State before the U.S. Supreme Court in the Exxon Corporation v. Wisconsin Department of Revenue, where the Supreme Court adopted a rule favorable to the State in measuring the permissible scope of taxation on business engaged in interstate commerce. In 1985, Jerry was appointed Deputy Attorney General by Attorney General Bronson LaFollette.

Jerry was a strong believer in the right of state employees to organize and the ideal of a laborer lawyer. He was the president of the Wisconsin State Attorneys Association, representing 200 state attorneys. He served on its bargaining team, and was instrumental in the Association affiliating with the AFL-CIO in 1976. He was very active in the State Bar, and served on the faculty of its annual Tax School.

Jerry was an avid sports fan and was a source for batting averages, historic events, and many other statistics. He loved Wisconsin, its people, schools, and sports teams.

In 1997, Jerry retired from state service and received a commendation for his hard work and dedication to the State of Wisconsin from Governor Tommy Thompson. Jerry was a man of the people who loved the common citizen, simple life, and serving the state. He was a Harvard graduate who loved simplicity and disliked inequality and injustice. He will be missed.

At Jerry's request, there will be no services. Donations in Jerry's name may be made to the ACLU Foundation, 125 Broad St., 18th floor, New York, NY 10004, or the Goodman Community Center, 149 Waubesa St., Madison WI 53704.