Gerard William Pauwels

Gerard William Pauwels, 76, passed away on February 7. A longtime Bloomington resident, he was born in South Bend, Indiana on November 25, 1945 to Edward and Lucille (Jaworksi) Pauwels. He is survived by his children, Erin Pauwels (James Merle Thomas) and Matthew Gerard Kim Pauwels; his sister Mary Jo Pauwels Koran; two sisters-in-law Anita Pauwels and Sarah Pauwels; brothers-in-law Timothy O. Kristl of Kansas City, MO and Kevin Kristl of Mishawaka, IN; along with many nieces and nephews; and a large, close-knit group of Pauwels and Jaworksi cousins. He was pre-deceased by his beloved wife of 42 years Colleen Kristl Pauwels; his parents and his brothers James Pauwels and John Pauwels; sister-in-law Carol Cremer Kristl; and brother-in-law James Koran. Gerry attended Saint Joseph High School in South Bend, IN, where a chance role in a school production of “Our Town” sparked a lifelong love of acting. His interest in theater, literature, and the arts inspired Gerry to move to Bloomington in 1963 to attend Indiana University rather than pursuing an engineering degree at Purdue like his brothers. He ultimately went on to earn three degrees from the IU Theater Department: a BA in 1967, an MA in 1975, and a PhD in 1986. In 1979, he was the winner of the first national performance criticism competition of the American College Theater Festival in Washington, DC, and was awarded a scholarship to attend the National Critics Institute at the Eugene O’Neill Memorial Theater Center in Waterford, CT. Gerry worked as a professor in the theater departments at Indiana University and DePauw University before returning to school at IU once more to earn a JD from the Maurer School of Law in 1995. Though Gerry pursued diverse professional vocations to support his family, acting always remained core to his identity. In the early 2000s, he closed his private legal practice in Bloomington to return to acting full time. Over the years, he appeared in numerous films and documentaries, and became a regular on the regional stage. He performed in productions with the Bloomington Playwright’s Project, the Jewish Theatre of Bloomington, the Cardinal Stage, Ghostlight Theatricals, the Brown County Playhouse, the South Carolina Repertory Company on Hilton Head, and the Cortland Repertory Theatre of New York. Most recently, he starred as Ebenezer Scrooge in the holiday 2021 production of “A Christmas Carol” at the Indianapolis Beef & Boards Professional Theater. He was fond of saying that he got to do in his 60s and 70s what he had wanted to do at 20, proving that it is never too late to follow your dreams. He leaves behind a community of friends from across the country who join his family in mourning the passing of his bright light. Friends may visit with the family on Friday, February 18 from 4pm until 8pm at Day & Deremiah-Frye Funeral Home, 4150 E 3rd Street, Bloomington, IN 47401. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, February 19 at 10 am at St. Paul Catholic Center located at 1413 17th Street, Bloomington, IN 47408. Livestream links will be made available through the St. Paul website at https://hoosiercatholic.org/ for those who will be unable to travel. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.DayDeremiahFrye.com for the Pauwels family.