Gerard J. ‘Gerry’ Lavoie, 85 of Salem, passed away peacefully at home, Tuesday, April 2, 2013 following a long illness. He was the husband of Jean T. (Cody) Lavoie, with whom he shared 60 years of marriage.
Born and raised in Salem, he was the son of the late Ernest and Laura (Marquis) Lavoie, and was a graduate of St. Joseph High School. Gerry received his Bachelors degree from Boston College and his Masters degree from Northeastern University. He served in the Navy at the close of World War II.
Following his tour of duty, Gerry returned to Salem to finish his degree and worked as an independent private investigator. Gerry, left his private investigating business to work as a co-op coordinator and associate professor in the criminal justice department of Northeastern University, where he was a Seated Board Member of the Northeastern University Federal Credit Union.
A life long resident of Salem, Gerry was a former president of the North Shore Baseball League and coach for the Wildcats Youth Baseball team. He was a member of the Salem Park and Recreation Commission as well as the Knights of Columbus Salem Council #76. Following Gerry’s and Jean’s retirement the couple loved to travel and visited much of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, and much of the continental United States. He also worked part time and gave golf lessons at the Olde Salem Green Golf Course.
In addition to his wife Jean he is survived by three daughters, Michele FitzGerald and her husband Raymond, Leanne Morin and her husband Mark, Elise Lisa Pydynkowski and her husband Kevin, two sons, Gregg Lavoie, Gary Lavoie and his wife Ann Marie, a daughter-in-law, Mary McCarthy, three sisters, Lucille Boulanger, Marguerite Belanger and her husband Rene, Marie Williams, as well as 2 brothers, Raymond Lavoie and his wife Elaine and Roger Lavoie. He is also survived by eleven grandchildren, Eric, Teresa and her husband Paul, Nicole and her fiance Justin, Erica, Kara, Kyle, Taryn, Krista, Justine, Casey and Brandi and a great-granddaughter Anna.
Relatives and friends are invited to gather at the Levesque Funeral Home, 163 Lafayette St. [Rt. 114 / 1-A] Salem on Saturday, April 6, 2013 at 8:00 A.M. to be followed by his funeral mass in St. Thomas the Apostle Church (on the Salem / Peabody Line) at 9:00 A.M. Visiting hours at the funeral home will be on Friday from 4:00 to 8:00 P.M. Burial at a later date will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of the North Shore, 75 Sylvan St., Suite B102, Danvers, MA 01923 or St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 1 Margin St., Peabody, MA 01960. For guestbook and additional information please visit www.LevesqueFunerals.com