Francis Gerald Scanlan was born on September 15, 1935 at Ravenswood Hospital to parents Louis T. Scanlan (06/23/1892 – 02/12/1973) and Marguerite E. Coleman (02/03/1904 – 12/18/1979). The family lived on Chicago’s Northside and were members of St. Gregory Parish where young Jerry and his brother Thomas (“Tom & Jerry”) and sister Margaret Mary attended grammar school. Jerry heard the calling of the faith early and went immediately into Quigley Preparatory Seminary after grammar school. After five years at Quigley he entered St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein where he spent seven years, being ordained as a Roman Catholic Diocesan Priest on 05/01/1961 by Albert Cardinal Meyer.
Jerry joined Troop 829 sponsored by St. Gregory Church and served in various offices such as Scribe and Senior Patrol Leader. The troop became so large that it split into two units – Troop 829 and Troop 928. His first season at Owasippe was in 1949 when he took the train from Union Station to Camp Dan Beard. He received his Eagle Scout Award on 02/01/1955 with sufficient merit badges to receive a Bronze Palm.
He was inducted into the Wakay Chapter of Owasippe Lodge on 07/24/1952 after camping for several summers at Camp Beard on Owasippe Lake. He remembers his District Executive Len Rotzoll (an early Vigil Member of Owasippe Lodge) who frequently attended summer camp, occasionally serving as the Director of Camp Beard.
Enjoying his time at Owasippe as a camper, Jerry worked at Owasippe for six summers serving at Camp West as a Ranger Factor (supply officer), Camp Beard as a Steward and O/A Honors Master, a year as a Provisional Scoutmaster, and his final year as the Aquatics Director at Camp Beard. Jerry notes that his experience on camp staff taught him the skills of leadership and how to take responsibility for a group.
After ordination and while at his first parish assignment, Fr. Jerry attended Owasippe with the troop sponsored by the church. During his second assignment at St. Mel / Holy Ghost Parish, he served for eight years as the Advisor of the Midwest District O/A Chapter. It was during this tenure that he was nominated by Bernard Clay (himself a Vigil Member from the Westside of Chicago – and to this day still active!) for the Vigil Honor. Fr. Jerry faithfully kept his Vigil on 08/11/1972 at Owasippe being given the name: Aptomen Untschi Getanittowit Aptongan – Speaker Of The Word Of God.
Currently Fr. Jerry is a member of the National Catholic Committee on Scouting. He has served on countless religious awards training programs, and has been a part of the annual Holy Name Cathedral Religious Awards ceremonies. He makes an effort to provide a spiritual presence at Section Conclaves, O/A Work Weekends and dinners, and spent a full summer at Philmont training priests and individuals across the country on how to conduct their Council/Camp religious programs.
Outside of Scouting, Fr. Jerry joined the Illinois National Guard 33rd Brigade as a Chaplain in 1974 bringing the Word of God to our service members during their tours of duty. He was serving as State Chaplain of all the Illinois National Guard when he retired from the Guard in 1994 as a Lieutenant Colonel.
As Fr. Jerry looks back on 58 years as a priest he is struck at how service to one’s fellow man and one’s God are so seamlessly woven into the basic tenets of Scouting and the fundamental principles of the Vigil Honor.
