Obituary of Gerald R. Cleary

Gerald R. "Jerry" Cleary Longtime Bainbridge Resident Gerald Richard Cleary, 80, of the NYS Veterans Home in Oxford, formerly of Bainbridge died on June 7, 2010 following surgery at Upstate Medical Center. He was born on September 2, 1929 in Queens, New York to John S. Cleary, Sr. and Elizabeth M. Cleary. Jerry served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean Conflict attaining the rank of sergeant. He worked briefly in banking while attending night school at New York University. He began his sales career with 3M Company in Detroit, Michigan in the mid 1950's. He also worked for Oster Manufacturing and was national sales manager for the former American Plastics Division of Tenneco in Bainbridge and the Myriad division of Foster Grant Plastics in Leominster, MA. For the ten years prior to his retirement he worked as a manufacturer's representative for a variety of beverage equipment manufacturers. He resided in Bainbridge from 1969 to 1998. Jerry was active in the Bainbridge Rotary Club, and the Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce. He served as chairman of the first three-day General Clinton Canoe Regatta. He was a member of the local chapter of Toastmaster's International and won a variety of speaking awards including 2nd place in statewide competition. He served for two years as Cubmaster of the Bainbridge Cub Scout Pack 52. He was a member of St. John's Catholic Church and served as a lay reader for many years. He was honored as Bainbridge's Man of the Year in 1997. He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Patrick "Jim" Cleary; his wife, Katherine Cleary; a son, Dennis Cleary, and a daughter-in-law, Bonita Gingrich Cleary. Survivors include a brother, John Cleary of Plainview NY; a sister, Eleanor English of Los Angeles CA; a sister, Kay Breslin of Barrington, IL; a son Kevin Cleary and his wife, Holly Wahlberg of Poughkeepsie, NY; a son, Timothy Cleary and his wife, Candace of Williamsburg, VA; a son, Brian Cleary of Framingham, MA; a grandson, Andrew Cleary, and a granddaughter, Taryn Cleary, both of Williamsburg, VA The family will receive friends on Thursday, June 10th from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at C. H. Landers Funeral Chapel, 21 Main St. Sidney, NY 13838. A funeral mass will be celebrated on Friday, June 11th at 11:00 a.m. at St. John's Catholic Church in Bainbridge. Interment will be in Greenlawn Cemetery following the mass. Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family online at www.landersfh.com. Arrangements under the direction of C.H. Landers Funeral Chapel, 21 Main St. Sidney.