Gerrard Diaz, sports editor for The Shawano Leader, passed away Saturday while doing what he loved — covering sports. He was 35 years old.
Diaz was hired as a sports reporter for The Shawano Leader and its sister paper, the Oconto County Times Herald, in August 2011. He was promoted to sports editor a few months later. During his time with Wolf River Media, the Leader’s parent company, he covered high school sports and the Green Bay Packers.
Diaz also worked as a Packers/NFL writer at NFL.com since July 2010 and was a contributing writer for St. Norbert College Magazine since December 2008. Prior to coming to the Leader, Diaz worked at the Green Bay Press-Gazette for three years as a copy editor and reporter, followed by a stint as an NFL correspondent for CBS Sports in 2009 and 2010.
Diaz graduated from Preble High School in 1997. He attended St. Norbert College in De Pere, graduating in 2004.
Kim Diaz, Gerrard’s mother, said her son was smart enough to have embarked on a variety of different careers, but he was very passionate about print journalism, and she was happy that he was working at what he loved.
“Way back as long as I can remember, he wanted to be a writer,” Kim Diaz said. “That was his strongest ambition — even more than sports. He loved writing.”
Diaz played football in high school, which helped spark his interest in a variety of sports, according to his mother. However, it was an interest in hockey that helped him find common ground with his longtime girlfriend, Kelsey Kubale.
“One of the few sports we could agree on was hockey,” Kubale said. “A bunch of our first dates were to St. Norbert hockey games.”
When Diaz wasn’t indulging his sports interests, he enjoyed playing the guitar, according to Kim Diaz. He enjoyed Irish music, as well as Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton.
“I always loved hearing him play his music, because I knew he was feeling good,” Kim Diaz said.
Diaz also loved philosophy, his mother said, and the two enjoyed bonding time watching the television show “Lost.” Diaz also had a keen interest in reading whatever he could get his hands on; he was particularly influenced by the book “Animal Farm” by George Orwell.
As much as Diaz loved sports, he knew when to set it aside to spend time with family and friends, Kubale said.
“He kind of turned it off at home, which was kind of nice,” she said. “We liked to road trip to Door County. I’m originally from Madison, so we would do little foodie trips down there. He loved doing cuisine and all that.”
Whenever he watched the Packers away games from home, pizza was an absolute must, Kubale said.
“He would live tweet about the game from my couch, and it was my responsibility to order the pizza and have the pizza ready for him, because he couldn’t live without his pizza,” Kubale said.
Duke Copp, Bonduel High School boys basketball coach, was shocked by Diaz’s passing and described him as a “great friend” for Bonduel’s athletic programs and for the basketball teams in particular.
“He did a great job of covering our games and student athletes,” Copp said. “He was always very courteous and was a pleasure to work and communicate with. He will be sadly missed by all of us at Bonduel High School.”
Shawano Community High School football coach Al Tomow said Tuesday he was saddened to hear of Diaz’s passing.
“I always enjoyed working with Gerry during football season,” Tomow said. “He was sincere in covering our program and had a genuine interest in recognizing our athletes and their accomplishments. I will especially miss our post-game conversations that were always positive regardless of the outcome of the game.”
Leader Editorial Director Roger Bartel said the newspaper will miss Diaz.
“Gerry was a good employee, co-worker and, most of all, a good man who will be missed by many,” Bartel said.
Even though some folks in his life might believe his life ended too soon, his mother firmly believes that his 35 years were full, and she is grateful that he accomplished everything he did.
“He did what he wanted to do,” Kim Diaz said.
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