Gerard E. Vandette

TEWKSBURY - Gerard (Gerry) Edward Vandette, 83, resident of Tewksbury for 18 years, passed away Monday March 23 surrounded by his loving family. He was the son of the late Edward and Lucienne (Lefebvre) Vandette and the beloved husband of Ruth (Lorrain) Vandette for 61 years.

Gerry was born December 25, 1931 in Lowell. He attended St. Louis de France elementary school and Lowell High School. He was a communicant of St. Louis Parish where he was an altar server, sang in the church choir and a member of the Holy Name Society. He served in the U.S. Naval Reserve for four years. He was an avid fan of the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots. If he wasn't watching a ball game, he was listening to his radio or CDs of his favorite singers or watching musical concerts on DVD.

Gerry and Ruth married in 1953 and 7 years later bought their first home in Notre Dame de Lourdes Parish, Lowell, lived there for 36 years, where they raised their five children. The last 13 years were spent babysitting their youngest grandchildren, Alexa, Emily and Danny. Gerry chauffeured them to and from school and to their after-school activities. Days off from school were always spent with "Mem" and "Pep" forming a bond to them as close as their own children.

Gerry and Ruth were virtually inseparable and enjoyed many vacations together. They travelled to various states in the U.S. as well as Italy, London and Paris. They also enjoyed two Caribbean cruises. Their favorite of course was the cruise to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, attended by the entire family.

Gerry was employed by Vertipile, Inc. for 30 years, starting as a general laborer and later promoted to General Sales Manager in Lowell and Leominster. He was also the Sales Manager of the New York office located in the Empire State Building. Vertipile was later sold to Spectra Coating Corporation where Gerry was promoted to Vice President of Sales and Marketing, worked for seven years until he retired in 1995.

Besides his wife, he is survived by his three sons, Paul and his wife, Jacqueline (Lavigne) Vandette of State College, PA, Robert and his wife, Lucille (Beaulieu) Vandette of Boxford, MA, Gary and his wife, Melissa (Dufresne)Vandette of Attleboro, MA; two daughters, Elaine and her spouse, Rev. Mary-Ann Thibeault-Vandette of Methuen, MA and Christine (Vandette) and her husband Donald Vincent of Tewksbury, MA; one brother, Emile Vandette of Berlin, NH; eight grandchildren, Christopher and his wife Meghan (Ganz-Sarto) Vandette of Chicago, IL, David, Jason and Arielle Vandette of Boxford, MA, Ryan Vandette of Attleboro, MA and Alexa, Emily and Daniel Vincent of Tewksbury, MA; three step-grandchildren, Courtney Sott of Methuen, MA, Carolynne (Sott) and her husband Jeremy Goddard of Haverhill, MA and Michaella (Sott) and her husband Sean George of Candia, NH; one nephew, Richard and his wife Paulette (Paquette) Harvey of Hudson, NH; one niece, Susan (Harvey) Neary of Hudson, NH and her companion Chuck Moran of Dracut, MA; one grand-nephew, Eric and his wife Kristen (Rourke) Harvey and their children, Brayden and Tyven of Manchester, NH, and one grand-niece, Elizabeth (Neary) and her husband Christopher Boyd of Leesburg, VA and also several cousins

He was the son-in-law of the late Ernest and Yvonne (Aubrey) Lorrain and the brother-in-law of the late Irene (Lorrain) and Joseph Harvey.