Gerard Jarrett

Gerard Rene Jarrett, 85, passed away on December 25th.

He is survived by his wife of sixty years, Irene, two children and their spouses, Stephane (Steve) married to Pam, and Veronique (Vee) married to Joe, and four grandchildren Jarrett, Lindsay, Zachary, and Alexandra.

Mr. Jarrett was born before the start of World War II in northern France. His childhood was quickly disrupted by the war and his family was forced to flee to Normandy to escape daily bombings. D-Day came soon after and his family took shelter that night with German soldiers in a fox hole. The Germans were gone by morning but his childhood was long marred by the direct affect of the war.

In his early twenties, he met, Irene, the love of his life who would become his wife of sixty years. They immigrated to the United States in the mid-sixties with two small children. Life was difficult but with hard work, love for each other, and a strong sense of family, they made a good life. Though quite poor from the start, the children hardly realized it. The family always came first, and everything he did was focused on making a happy home for the four of them.

Throughout the years, Mr. Jarrett was smart and became a self-taught craftsman, mastering plumbing, electricity, and wood work. He was extremely creative, patient and determined as he envisioned, planned and built the next project. He was always happy to teach and direct, meaning his children are sufficiently handy, but will always be in awe of how much more Dad knew how to do.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Jarrett worked multiple jobs to make ends meet in the early days, so he was proud that they were able to enjoy a comfortable retirement. They took extended trips to France to reconnect with a lost life style. And through trips which included each of their children's families, they were all able to share the past and color the stories that had become the family legacy.

Those who knew him well described him as generous, kind and soft spoken. His quiet determination served as the backbone of the family. He is greatly missed and the lessons he taught by example are instilled in his children and grand children. He will always be a guiding light and a quiet reminder of a life well lived.