Jerry A. Badger

1939 - 2022

Jerry Alan Badger, 82, passed away surrounded by family on February 8th at Baystate Medical Center after a brief illness. He was born in Birmingham, AL on August 22, 1939 to the late Emily (McCreanor) and Cecil Badger. He grew up in East Longmeadow, where he first developed a lifelong love of the outdoors through his involvement with the Boy Scouts. He attended Tech High School in Springfield before graduating from Mt. Herman School in 1957. He graduated from Bates College in 1961 with a degree in biology and attended Tufts Medical School for one year before choosing a career in education and earning an M.Ed. from Springfield College. In 1963, he married the love of his life, the former Joan Metzger, and settled in Wilbraham. That same year, Jerry began teaching at Minnechaug Regional High School. Over the next 25 years, he served as a teacher, coach, advisor, assistant principal, and finally as principal. Upon retiring from Minnechaug in 1988, Jerry went to work in the family-owned Parkinson Manufacturing Co. in Rhode Island. After four years at Parkinson, Jerry returned to education and was named the principal of Quaboag Regional High School in Warren. Upon completing a number of years there, he retired for good in 2003. To this day, generations of students will attest that Jerry always had time to listen and to help, no matter how big or small a problem might be.

Jerry was passionate about working with youth in his ”spare” time. He was the director of the Palmer Community Day Camp from 1965 to about 1971, and was very involved in scouting, helping to lead Wilbraham’s Troop 177 for many years.

In retirement, Jerry and Joan traveled to Europe and Hawaii. Jerry also continued to pursue his lifelong passion for photography, especially nature photography. Jerry was a longtime member of Wilbraham United Church and, like his father before him, was a Mason and a Shriner. He loved spending time with his family at their summer home in Maine (first at Goose Rocks Beach, and later on the Belgrade Lakes). Jerry also was fascinated by genealogy and thoroughly researched his own family tree, as well that of friends and family near and far.

He was the beloved husband to Joan E. (Metzger) Badger for 59 years; loving father of Lynn Logsdon and her husband Scott of Palmer, Doug Badger and his wife Marybeth of Colorado Springs; and devoted grandfather of Kendall Logsdon, Andrew Logsdon (and Catie Dill), Spencer Badger and Davis Badger; great grandfather of Savanna Logsdon, Aryanna Pellerin, and Ellyanna Pellerin. There will be calling hours Monday, February 14th, from 3:00-5:00 pm at the WILBRAHAM FUNERAL HOME, 2551 Boston Road, Wilbraham. There will be a Committal Service scheduled later in the spring at Woodland Dell Cemetery in Wilbraham. In lieu of flowers donations in Jerry’s name may be made to the Jerry Badger Memorial Scholarship, c/o Minnechaug Regional High School, 621 Main Street, Wilbraham, MA 01095. For more information please visit www.wilbrahamfuneralhome.com.