Tributes, memories of Bishop Gaydos from social media, the web
The following memories and tributes were posted on the Jefferson City diocese’s Facebook page and on pages that shared the message of Bishop Gaydos’s passing, and on the memories page of the Trimble Funeral Homes website:
One of the most blessed, true and faithful leaders in my lifetime! May God Bless him with heavenly rest! — Judy Allwood
I miss his beautiful smile and wonderful voice. God bless you Bishop Gaydos. May you rest in HIS eternal light. — Mary Veltrop
How blessed we were to have him as our bishop. May perpetual light shine upon him! — Julie McKeown
What a faithful, compassionate shepherd of God’s people. I am so grateful he hired me to serve as campus minister at Rolla. He was a strong supporter of college students and supported the building of the Newman Center when I was Director. He was a true and faithful and joyful shepherd. May he rest in peace in the arms of God. — Sister Renita Brummer OSF
My your gentle soul rest in perfect peace, Bishop Gaydos. Thank you for being such a caring shepherd during your Episcopacy. — Father Henry Ussher
Bishop Gaydos was the first bishop I had the privilege to know personally. His warmth and his ability to remember and make everyone he met feel special and “known” was a true gift. Thank for your yes to God and to the call to shepherd our diocese. We were blessed to have you. May you rest in peace and may perpetual light shine upon you. — Barbara Prasad
This is one of God’s finest. He changed my life. May Jesus welcome him with open arms and direct him to one of the finest mansions in heaven. — Vandy Nies
Was a privilege to minister in the diocese when he was bishop! Loved that smile! His pastoral, shepherd’s heart will be missed! Was a privilege to serve in the diocese when he was bishop! — Sister Julie Brandt SSND
The end of a wonderful 57 year friendship. How grateful I am that we had such a good visit a couple weeks ago. My prayers are with you and your family and all of us who are going to miss your beautiful and warm smile as well as your great words of wisdom. I treasure those words of advice you have shared and hopefully we will meet again in eternity. Rest in peace my dear friend. — Donna Zeilmann
Blessed to say I was baptized by this amazing man in 1972 when he was at St. Joseph’s Parish in Manchester. I’m sure the number of lives he has touched numbers as the stars! What a joyful welcoming there must have been upon his arrival to heaven. “Well done good and faithful servant.” — Bridget Nies Bernstein
He was a wonderful Bishop to work for. I remember the many lunches we shared together in the diocese’s lunch room. When I retired from the diocese he gave me the most beautiful card that I still cherish. RIP Bishop. — Meg Poettgen
Cathy & I have been close friends of Bishop John for 51 years when he was assigned as an associate pastor at St. Cecilia’s Church in St Louis. ... What a good kind priest. May Bishop John RIP. — William Hardebeck
Such a gentle-hearted man with a genuine smile. Jefferson City was lucky to have had you as our shepherd. — Terri Bippen Kuster
It’s a sad day for us, but what a wonderful day for him. He was a great man. — Leslie Owen
He had a beautiful smile and a gentle soul. Rest in peace, Bishop Gaydos. — Cheryl Schulte
He was always such a kind and gentle man when I would meet him. May he rest in peace. — Anne Hilkemeyer Steele
Great bishop and great friend. He was always ready to listen to and gave the best advices. A great man of hospitality and kindness to us missionary priests and us priests from Rome. A man with a great heart and awesome smiles. Great bishop and a wonderful leader. With a great heart full of kindness and smile he welcomed us to the diocese of Jefferson City when we started our exchange program at the University of Missouri from Rome. He was there always to give best advices and guidance whenever needed. We will surely miss him. May he rest in peace. Great bishop and wonderful soul. — Father Joby P. Thomas
He had a wonderful sense of humor. — Suzy Phinney-Weber
His smile radiated love, peace and joy. What a kind Christ filled man. — Sabrina Fechtel
Bishop Gaydos will forever hold an important place in my life and vocation. He accepted me as a seminarian for the Diocese of Jefferson City in 2006, and ordained me as a transitional deacon on June 8, 2013, and then to the Holy Priesthood on June 7, 2014. He served as our Bishop for 20 years. — Father Christopher Aubuchon
Yes, he definitely had a kind genuine smile. May he rest in peace. — Jean Bode Brandt
He was the Bishop who ordained me and in time became a dear friend. He had an exceptional mind, especially for history. I always listened carefully when he spoke to me. — Father Matthew Flatley
He was so kind and he had such a great smile. — Sue Grebe Daller
I had the pleasure of meeting him and few times. What a kind and genuine soul. I know he didn’t remember me from the time before but he never made you feel that way. — Krista Norris
Bishop Gaydos was a kind and gentle shepherd. I will remember him for many things, but especially for the time and attention he gave to our parish group at the 2005 World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany. Rest in peace, good and faithful servant! — Shannon Cerneka
I have a memory of an NCYC trip that he hitched a ride to the hotel on our bus. He joked and laughed with us. — Bob Phillips
My prayers are with him. I was on a walk committee he was the head of. Really learned a lot of things I didn’t even realize I had questions about. — Shirley Chambers
Bishop Gaydos was always so compassionate with the children when he came to our church for the sacraments! I admired him greatly! — Dianna Whitaker
Not being Catholic, the man impressed me as a very kind man. He had time for everyone. — Elaine Booher
Bishop Gaydos was a wonderful Bishop for our Diocese. — Patty Miller
I always enjoyed his visits to and Masses in Monroe City. — Marie Purol
Bishop Gaydos served our diocese with shepherd’s care and with an unwavering trust in the Holy Spirit, reminding us of God’s infinite mercy. We thank you for your decades of faithful service and for the special affection you had for our Hispanic community. — Ministerio Hispano - Diocesis de JC
Bishop Gaydos’ vision and love gave life to Catholic Charities in our diocese, shaping a ministry rooted in compassion and care for the most vulnerable. We are deeply grateful for his decades of faithful service, his shepherd’s heart, and his unwavering trust in God’s mercy. — Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri
He always spread so much joy with a smile on his face! — Rita Gangloff
He was a great bishop. God rest his soul. — Tudy Debo
He was an amazing man! — Darren P. Donley
May God reward him for his service to our diocese. May he rest in God’s peace. — Daisy G-Benito
Our deepest sympathies for the passing of Bishop Gaydos go out to the Diocese and to his family. May he rest in eternal peace. — Knights of Columbus Missouri State Council
Bishop Gaydos gave El Puente-Hispanic Ministry so much support from the very beginning and throughout his time as shepherd of the Diocese of Jefferson City. He was a true friend of the Hispanic Community. Rest in peace dear Bishop Gaydos. — Sister Peggy Bonnot CCVI
Brian Ziegler and I had the privilege of knowing Bishop Gaydos, may he rest in peace. — Kimberly Dawn Ziegler
Bishop Gaydos loved the Shrine. May he rest in peace. — Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows, Starkenburg
I had the pleasure of meeting him. He was the most pleasant and kind person I have ever met. — Tammy Cunningham Martin
He was always smiling. — Lisa Kay Smith
Always had a smile. — Blaine Adams
With deep respect and gratitude for the years of friendship and support you will always be in our prayers. — Deacon Robert and Mary Ann Smerek
Blessed to have had the chance to know and care for Bishop. A truly amazing man. — Mellissa Davis
Grateful for his pastoral kindness to the Sisters of Our Lady of Peace and to myself. He was a gentle shepherd. — Sister Mary Jo Polak OSB
We will miss him dearly and never forget the kindness he always showed us. I know he is with my dad now, the two of them sipping homemade wine and catching up. Godspeed Bishop Gaydos, we will never forget you. — Michelle Weilert Litteken
We will miss him, yet know he now stands as one of Christ’s Faithful Priests in the Holy Order of Melchizedek. All Praise and Thanks to You Lord for his life. — John and Eileen McCaffrey-Hedrick
