Obituary: Gerald A. Chouinard

The Diocese of Tucson and Our Lady of the Sierras Foundation are filled with great sorrow to announce the passing of Gerald Allen Chouinard, on June 5, 2025.

Gerald (Jerry) was the youngest child of Archie and Marie (Schlumpberger) Chouinard, born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After completing high school, he became a printer’s apprentice in Illinois and enlisted in the U.S. Army in February 1953. He was trained as a pole lineman, achieving the rank of Corporal with the 40th Signal Battalion, which included foreign service in Germany. 

In 1967, he founded The Label Printers in Chicago, and grew the company from a one-man operation to an industry leader in packaging, labeling and product authentication. He invented and received a U.S. Patent for Counterfeit Resistant Labels in 1989, and enjoyed great success with many international customers, including Underwriters Laboratories.

In 1991, Jerry and his wife, Patricia (Pat), came from northern Illinois and purchased eight acres of land in Ash Canyon, near Hereford, Arizona, for their retirement. After a pilgrimage to Yugoslavia in 1990, they felt spiritually called to erect a large cross and a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary on their property. Despite facing opposition and significant legal hurdles from both the community and county, they persevered and received approval to build the shrine. The shrine includes a 75-foot Celtic Cross, a 31-foot statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a chapel, and an outdoor Stations of the Cross area.

Jerry was the co-founder of Our Lady of the Sierras, along with his wife, Pat, and a generous benefactor of the Catholic Foundation and the Diocese, having established the Gerald A. and Patricia A. Chouinard Endowed Fund for Seminarian Education in memory of his late wife.

Jerry was preceded in death by his first wife Marlene Ann (Buhmann) Chouinard, his second wife Patricia (Tishman) Chouinard, son Steven Chouinard, step-son Robert Callahan and step-daughter Donna Chrysokas. He is survived by his daughters, Nannette Chouinard of Hereford AZ, Suzanne Scardemaglia, of St. Charles, IL, and son Gregory (Cathy) Chouinard, of Hereford, AZ, as well as step-daughter Cheryl Callahan, of Hereford, AZ and step-son Steven (Anne) Callahan, of Queen Creek, AZ.

The Our Lady of the Sierras Foundation states of Jerry:

 “…In gratitude for the FIAT he gave to God in building this beautiful shrine, Our Lady of the Sierras. Jerry and Pat are forever in our hearts. We carry on with their mission in serving the Lord on this holy mountain. May he rest in peace. Amen.”

• Rosary on Friday, June 27 at 7:30 p.m., Mary's Knoll, 10235 S Twin Oaks Rd., Hereford, AZ
• Funeral Mass on Saturday, June 28 at 10:00 a.m., St. Andrew Parish, 800 Taylor Dr., Sierra Vista, AZ
• Interment afterwards at Our Lady of the Sierras Chapel, 10310 S. Twin Oaks Rd., Hereford, AZ
• Followed by Celebration of Life at Mary's Knoll, 10235 S Twin Oaks Rd., Hereford, AZ