Gerry Germain R.I.P.

R.I.P. Gerry Germain
Our dear friend for 50 years with whom we shared adventures and many happy hours of quiet conversations from Charlevoix and Wyagamack to Jamaica. We will always carry you in our hearts.
God bless, fair winds and following seas …
Our love and prayers are with your family, especially Guy and Victoria.

A year has passed and on this sad anniversary, Guy Germain posted this wonderful photograph of him with his father. We still feel the loss of our dear, dear, friend terribly.

12 April 2014

NSO patron, businessman Gerry Germain dead at 77

(The Telegram) His shouts of “Bravo!” were often heard echoing throughout the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra’s (NSO) performance venues. Loved ones and NSO friends of Gerry Germain are now preparing to give him an ovation of his own.
Germain, a businessman and longtime supporter of the NSO, died at home on Saturday, at the age of 77.
In his business life, Germain had been president of Genergy Inc., Rutter Engineering and Automation, Unicontrol International Ltd. and Bouyges Offshore, his work taking him around the world to places such as Brazil, Scotland, France and Vietnam.
Germain, who served on the board of the Tuckamore Festival, spent two terms as chairman of the board of the NSO. A Montreal native, he founded the organization’s golf tournament, headed up the ball committee and would often volunteer his home for rehearsal space or to accommodate visiting musicians.
According to current chairwoman, Heather McKinnon, Germain set about implementing the organization’s most recent strategic plan, designed to ensure the longtime stability of the orchestra.
Despite having been diagnosed with lung cancer last fall, Germain — who is described by loved ones as adventurous, generous and having a larger-than-life personality — continued to serve on the executive of the NSO. Not just part of the orchestra’s administration, he was one of its most enthusiastic patrons, McKinnon said.
“Not only did Gerry rarely miss a concert, he also attended most dress rehearsals, so deep was his love for the music the NSO was playing, no matter the genre,” McKinnon told The Telegram. The orchestra’s annual production of “Messiah” was his favourite, she said.
“The NSO family is deeply saddened by the loss of our dear friend and colleague.”
McKinnon said the NSO will formally pay tribute to Germain during its 2015-2015 season.
Germain leaves behind his wife, Dr. Angela Penney, children Guy and Victoria Germain, grandchildren Kieran and Harrison Betts and Sienna Germain, and sister Blanche Streeter. His funeral will take place at the Carnell Memorial Chapel on Freshwater Road in St. John’s Thursday at 11 a.m.

Our beloved friend, Gerry Germain was truly larger than life. We were so privileged to know and love him.

Germain Gerard (Gerry)
Gerard Claude (Gerry) Germain passed away peacefully at home on April 12, 2014, in the presence of family and close friends at the age of 77. Gerry has been described as a ‘Renaissance Man’; he was a tireless patron of the arts and was committed to the musical life of his adopted city (as a proud NBC (Newfoundlander by Choice)). He was a generous man. He loved adventure (which he often found on the waters around his fair island). Gerry served two separate terms as Chair of the NSO, served on the board of the Tuckamore Festival, and was a member of the Royal Newfoundland Yacht Club (where he kept his beloved Abrigo). His work (as President of Genergy Inc, President and CEO of Rutter Engineering and Automation, President of Unicontrol International LTDa, President of Bouyges Offshore , General Manager of Townsend and Godfrey Brothers and as Director of the Expo ‘67 theme pavilion ‘Man and the Oceans) brought him around the globe (Montreal, France, Viet Nam, England, Scotland, Brazil, James Baie, Halifax, Lab City). He was predeceased by his father Charles E. Germain and his mother Louise L. Germain, his sister Ella Lewis and son Charles. He is survived by his wife Angela Penney, his children Guy and Victoria Germain, sister Blanche Streeter, and grandchildren Kieran and Harrison Betts and Sienna Germain. His loss will be felt by many friends and family; he was larger than life and left an impact that he could be proud of. Much appreciation to Doctors Greenland, Hadden, Lee and Rorke. Cremation has taken place. Visitation will be held at Carnell’s Funeral Home, 329 Freshwater Road on Wednesday, April 16th, from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. A celebration of Gerry’s life will be held on Thursday, April 17th, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. from the Carnell Memorial Chapel. In lieu of flowers donations may be made on his behalf to the NSO. To send a message of condolence or sign the memorial guest book, please visit www.carnells.com. Bravo!, Gerry. Fair winds and following seas.

Sent: April-02-14 12:52 PM
To: Victoria Germain
Subject: Gerry Germain
Hello Family and Friends,
As you know dad has been battling cancer. I would like to make a ‘Blue Box’ for him, basically friends and family send in stories of Dad, or favourite things you like about him, and I will put them all in a box and when ever he feels like a pick me up, he pulls out a note to read.
So if you are interested in sending me a story or something you’d like to say about my dad, please email me. I will be going to Newfoundland this weekend and will make the Blue Box then for him.
Much Love,
Victoria

April 2, 2014
Dearest Friend,
I am so happy to be part of the Blue Box battalion – so happy that Victoria invited me to share some memories with you.
When I came to Montreal in 1963, I had friends in situ and of course among them was Barbara Keays –the slightly ditzy and utterly captivating Barbi. Not that long after I arrived, we drifted apart a bit, as I was coping with a serious job at Expo, traveling across the country, often on short notice, and moving in a very different circle of older, professional , colleagues. Barbi’s circle was composed more of people she had grown up with and/or gone to school with. But we lived in the same building at 1800-20 McGregor and still saw quite a bit of one another. Then she met her Peruvian Playboy and often talked about Robin Nesbitt and Gerry Germain, two friends of the PP. But they were shadowy figures about whom I knew little or nothing.
Then, one morning I was summoned by Andrew Kniewasser to accompany some VIPs on a tour of the site. As I waited for the guests in the reception area of our offices at PVM, a handsome young man (oh, yes, today they would say ‘eye candy’) sat across the room from me and eventually walked over to offer me a cup of coffee. I declined because I was due to be called in to Andy’s office any minute. And that was the end (or the beginning) of that.
A few weeks later, the phone rang at home. A charming man, whose voice sounded faintly familiar, who said that Barbara had suggested he call me to see what the possibilities might be for his – I think Dutch – girlfriend to find a job at Expo. I wasn’t overly sympathetic because we had so many similar cases of young people who wanted to come to work at Expo and the general rule for foreigners was that they should address their own national authorities. At the end of the conversation, you asked if I might have been in the Expo reception area a few weeks previously.
The strange thing is that I cannot remember how we finally met! But once we did, there was an instantaneous bond and it was the beginning of so many adventures together! You quickly became part of my circle of Expo friends, and made considerable waves of your own among the first contingent of hostesses. You and Robin soon became the brothers I never had.
You came to Terrebonne for a weekend and my parents adored you, even though we went off on a rainy afternoon ‘walk down the hill’ with my beloved Sheltie, Breck. We went to the River and back to Pointe-au-Pic along the railway tracks. We were fine, but in those days, long before cell phones, we were gone for a long time and the parents became severely worried. We were chewed out when we eventually phoned home to ask for a lift back from the wharf. I was mortified that my parents treated you like an irresponsible kid, but after we had changed into dry clothes, the Admiral served up his very special (lethal) martinis and all was forgiven.
That was the first of many magical weekends. Although you already knew Charlevoix, I remember taking you to all my favorite special places and when we went to Les Remoux and walked out onto the bluff, I saw you fall in love with that property – it was an amazing moment to witness.
After a lot of persuading, Robin joined us for a weekend at Terrebonne – he had been so reluctant because he thought it would be very ‘social’ and he wouldn’t fit in. But he loved it and thereafter, there were countless happy days extending through the warm summer and into the Fall. At the end of October, you asked Robin and me to drive up from Montreal to negotiate the purchase of Les Remoux on your behalf (can’t remember why you couldn’t go yourself). We drove up and met with the owner who was pretty gruff and very firm about his price. We couldn’t believe how little he wanted and did our best to hide our delight. When we got back to the Trois Canards (Terrebonne was closed), we phoned you and then went off to ‘Tite Maison to cook steaks over the fire and drink Rum (always St James) to celebrate.
Those, my dear Gerry, are the first of so many happy memories. I will continue this another day with some stories from epic weekends at Wyagamack with Michael Meighen, assorted girlfriends and ghosts, adventures in Jamaica with Fiona, New Year’s in Cushing with the Nesbitts when we first met Liz, Christmas in Ste-Anne de Bellevue … and, of course Herta’s eight puppies, Rip Tide and the turkey, Ebb Tide and your Volvo …
With much love to you,
Diana