Gerald “Jerry” Molochko, 78, died peacefully on July 29, 2026, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He was born on May 29, 1948, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He attended Beardsley Park Elementary and graduated from Harding High School in 1966.
On his father’s advice, he enlisted in the Navy while still in high school and went to boot camp in 1965. He later graduated from Pennsylvania Military College (now Widener University) in 1970.
After Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, he went to BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL) training at Little Creek, Virginia, Class 51E, Hell Week included, making him one of the last men to go through BUD/S on the East Coast before the program moved permanently to the West Coast.
During his career, he served with UDT-22 and UDT-21, two of the Navy’s storied Underwater Demolition Teams and predecessors to today’s Naval Special Warfare units.
In 1974, the Navy sent him to the Defense Language Institute to learn Italian ahead of an assignment in Brindisi, Italy with the Italian Navy. One of the highlights of his Italian tour was Winter Warfare School, where he spent 12 weeks learning to ski in the Italian Alps.
While in Italy, he met a young American teacher named Liz, who was working at the nearby U.S. Air Force base. They married in June 1979, and shortly after they loaded a green Volkswagen van and set off for Coronado, California for a new assignment. He subsequently served with SEAL Team Two, UDT-11, and Naval Special Warfare Group One.
Jerry and Liz adopted their fi rst son, Gabriel, on March 10, 1983, shortly before the family moved to Quito, Ecuador, for Jerry’s next assignment, where he served as Military Liaison Offi cer at the American Embassy. His second son, Daniel, followed in September 1986, back in Virginia, where Jerry fi nished out his Navy career.
In 1990, Jerry was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and retired from the Navy. He was an early adopter of Macintosh computers in the 1980s, well before personal computers became commonplace. He helped form a local Parkinson’s support group and joined an individual investors club, bringing his computer knowledge to both and forming close friendships along the way. He was also a loyal member of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church for many years, where he loved teaching Sunday school.
One of his favorite hobbies was beekeeping. He didn’t mind spending hours in the hot sun, in his bee suit, tending to his bees. He loved bringing a small glass observation hive to his sons’ classrooms at Cape Henry Collegiate for all of the kids to see the bees at work. Another favorite pastime for Jerry was watching football, especially the Washington Redskins. Jerry and Liz also shared a love of dogs. Over the years, their family included two Dobermans, Jason and Bijou; Bandit, a wolf hybrid; and Gino, a Labrador retriever.
Jerry was a devoted son and was delighted when his parents moved next door so that he could be with them in their later years. Jerry was a very hard worker, and he never gave up on any task. He was always interested in taking on improvement projects around the house and yard, especially if he could enlist the help of his friends Burt Manuel and John Rowland. He was also proud of the kiwi vines and pomegranate plants he tended, which produced abundant fruit to share with friends.
Jerry was generous, dependable, and hardworking, and he genuinely loved to joke around and make people laugh. He was a devoted husband to Liz for 47 years and a supportive father to Gabriel and Daniel. He is remembered fondly by his family, his fellow UDT and SEAL teammates, and the many friends he made along the way, from Connecticut to Virginia, Italy, and Ecuador.
Jerry lived with Parkinson’s disease for more than 35 years, and it limited him in many ways. During the final year of his life, he also lost his sight, but whenever someone asked how he was doing, his answer was always, “I’m blessed.”
Jerry is survived by his wife, Liz; his sons, Gabriel and Daniel; his sister, Ellen Marcello, her husband, Joseph Marcello, and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank the staff members at Marian Manor Retirement Community; Our Lady of Perpetual Help; Jones & Cabacoy Veterans Care Center; and Westminster Canterbury At Home for their loving care and support over the past seven years.
The family extends special thanks to John Rowland, Bob Breault, and Sara Wickard for their many faithful visits with Jerry, which meant so much to him and gave Liz some much-needed breaks from her daily visits.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Church of the Holy Family’s debt-reduction fund, St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, or a charity of the donor’s choice.
Mass of Christian Burial
Saturday, August 22, 2026, at 11:00 AM (Rosary at 10:00 AM)
Church of the Holy Family
1279 N Great Neck Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23454
Reception to follow at the church.
Members of the UDT/SEAL Association and fellow Navy veterans are welcome to attend the Mass and join us in honoring Jerry’s life and service.
