Father Gerard A. Trancone: An appreciation 

Father Gerard A. Trancone, long-time Roman Catholic chaplain in the Office of Campus Ministries, passed away on July 4 at home in Silver Spring, Maryland. Fr. Jerry, as he was known to generations of Gallaudet students, was 80 years old.   

According to his obituary in the Catholic Standard, Gerard A. Trancone was born on October 22, 1942, in Newark, New Jersey to Anthony and Grace (Visco) Trancone. He began his seminary education at Immaculate Conception Seminary in Darlington, New Jersey, and then attended Saint Vincent Seminary in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. He was ordained as a priest of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington on May 17, 1969, at the Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle.  

Fr. Jerry’s first two pastoral assignments were at Saint Bernard of Clairvaux Parish in Riverdale Park, Maryland, and Saint John Baptist de la Salle Parish, Chillum, Maryland. While at Saint John Baptist, he began to learn American Sign Language. In 1978, he became chaplain to deaf and hard of hearing students at Gallaudet, a role he held for 37 years. In addition to his pastprol duties, he served as liaison between the university and the Office of Campus Ministries, which is staffed by clergy who serve students from several faiths.  

Fr. Jerry was also administrator of the Catholic Deaf Center in Landover Hills, Maryland, and director of the renamed Archdiocesan Center for Deaf Ministries at Saint Francis of Assisi Deaf Catholic Church, also in Landover Hills, Maryland.  

Interested in the performing arts for many years, Fr. Jerry directed and produced student plays at Saint Bernard of Clairvaux Parish, reviewed films for the Catholic Standard, and served as a reader for several Gallaudet University theater productions. His obituary states that he also served as moderator for the Maryknights, the Women’s Auxiliary of the Knights of Columbus, Father Rosensteel Council in Silver Spring, Maryland.  

Fr. Jerry was predeceased by two sisters: Mary Lou Trancone and Rose Corbo; Rose’s husband Anthony M. Corbo; and nephew Anthony E. Corbo.

Cardinal Wilton Gregory of the Archdiocese of Washington celebrated a Mass of Christian Burial on Friday, July 14 at Saint Bernard of Clairvaux Church, Riverdale Park, Maryland. Fr. Jerry was buried at Stonewall Memory Gardens in Manassas, Virginia. 

Fr. Jerry established the Grace Trancone Scholarship Fund in memory of his mother to support Catholic students at Gallaudet with demonstrated financial need. To donate to this fund, go to gallaudet.edu/giving, select “one-time gift”, and in the fund part of the donation form, select “other” and then type “Grace Trancone Scholarship Fund”, Contributions in Fr. Jerry’s memory also can be made to St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. 

Read the Catholic Standard obituary.