Gerald DeBarge

Turners Falls, Massachusetts
Gerald “Jerry” DeBarge, 90, formerly of Turners Falls, MA, passed peacefully on Saturday morning at the Holyoke Soldier’s Home, 110 Cherry Street, with his loving family at his side. 
A native of Springfield, MA, he was born on April 14, 1927 to William and Bertha (Jones) DeBarge and attended Northampton Public Schools.  Jerry enlisted in the United States Navy during WWII on September 12, 1944. He participated in both the European and Asiatic-Pacific campaigns aboard the USS Delta and was a recipient of the WWII Victory Medal, European African Middle Eastern Medal and the Asiatic Pacific Theater Medal.  He was honorably discharged with the rate of Ship’s Cook 3^rd Class on June 25, 1946.  He later served as a peacetime member of the Massachusetts Army National Guard for an additional 19 years.
He married the former Lorraine Girard, on September 18, 1947.  Jerry was employed for 33 years by the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Leeds, MA, as a nursing assistant and alcohol counselor and retired in 1981, in order to care for his ailing wife during a lengthy illness.  She predeceased him in February of 1988. 
Jerry enjoyed woodworking and puttering around the house.  Later, after Lorraine’s passing, he and his late companion Stella Pelis, enjoyed traveling across the United States.  They also enjoyed ballroom and Polka dancing throughout the Northeast and Florida.   He was very fond of animals, especially his pet schnauzer “Schultzy”.
He is loving remembered by his daughter, Karen J. Laramie and her husband Russell, of Montague, MA as well as his granddaughter, Jennifer Bresciano and her husband Thomas and their children Audrey & Nicholas.  Additionally, there are several nieces and nephews and grandnieces and grandnephews who will remember him with affection.  He was predeceased by his brother Leslie DeBarge and his sister Evelyn DeBarge Massey.
A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be observed on Thursday, May 11^th, 2017 at 10:00AM from Our Lady of Peace Church, 90 Seventh Street, Turners Falls, MA.  Rev. Fr. Stanley J. Aksamit, Pastor, will be the celebrant.  Rites of committal and burial will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Turners Falls, MA, with military honors to be provided by the United States Navy. Visiting hours are omitted.  Expressions of affection in Jerry’s name are suggested in lieu of flowers to the Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society, P.O. Box 6305, Springfield, MA 01101. 

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