April 17, 1921 - June 2, 2006
After a five month battle with a rare cancer (Angiosarcoma), Gerry passed peacefully at Peace Arch Hospital. Gerry was the loving husband of Phyllis for 62 years; father of Wayne (Maureen), Jeff (Diana), Rod (Mary) and Jim (Cavelene).
He is also survived by his sister Loretta (Portwood), 11 grandchildren and one great granddaughter (born the morning of June 2).
Gerry was born and raised in Admiral, Saskatchewan, but after the depression, the family moved to New Westminster in 1936.
In 1939, Gerry was an eager volunteer for the Seaforth Highlanders, arriving in England in 1940 as an underage stowaway on a troop ship.
There he met Phyllis at a dance near Portsmouth and they married on Jan. 22, 1944.
Five months later, Gerry landed in Normandy and helped liberate France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
He spoke often of the Dutch family who billeted him in Nijmegen during the winter of 1944/45.
After the war, Gerry brought his war bride back to Canada and started a long career as an entrepreneur, with stints in dry cleaning, long distance trucking and finally the establishment of Clifford-Feedham Pontiac in 1967.
Gerry is remembered by his family for his irrepressible and wry sense of humour, for his keen involvement with his extended family, and for his need to keep busy and tackle projects.
He had a series of passions from Jitterbugging, to cars and boats, then to golf, flower gardening and crossword puzzles.
He was also active in the community, with Boy Scouts, the Lions Club before moving on to serve as President of the White Rock Rotary Club.
Friends and family are invited to a Farewell Reception for Gerry from 2:00 to 4:00 on Saturday, June 10, at Cranley Place Community Hall (2141 Cranley Drive, South Surrey).