Golding / Golden / Goulding et al Family History on Facebook
Jerome Edward “Jerry” Golden (Feb 8, 1923 – Jan 8, 2003) was a 35-year broadcaster who reported shots fired at President John Kennedy’s motorcade in Dallas, Texas while broadcasting for ABC Radio over WLS in Chicago, Illinois.
Jerry was born in Chicago, as were his siblings. He was a first generation American — his father immigrated from Swanlin Bar, County Cavan, Ireland at some time before 1919, which is when he married Mary Catherine Klauke (b1893 Chicago). They had two daughters and one son.
>>> This family shows the flexibility needed to track Goldens. Supposedly Grandpa Patrick (b 1855 – d? 1945, both at County Cavan, Ireland) went by both McGoldrick and Golden as his family name.
Jerry joined the Marines less than a week after Pearl Harbor, on December 11th, 1942 … fighting at Tarawa atoll in 1943 … and serving until November 1945, with a rank of PFC.
After the war he almost immediately found work in radio broadcasting at WHBY in Appleton, Wisconsin, and soon worked as program director at WLIP in Kenosha, Wisconsin. By 1957 he worked in Chicago at WBBM, then at WLS in 1959, and at WGN in 1970 from where he retired in 1981.
His obituary with additional information about immediate family and surviving siblings was published in the Chicago Tribune (IL) – January 10, 2003. There is also a very basic Wikipedia page with more information.
You are welcome to add to or to correct this story by contacting: Bill Golden, Norfolk1956@gmail.com
BTW – I look forward to sharing your stories, photos and in-search-of quests. Contact me at the email address above.