Girard Francis Oliva, known to all as Gerry, of Rochester passed away suddenly on December 6, 2008.
The son of Italian immigrants Maria and Fortunato, Gerry was born in East Boston in 1929, and resided as a youth in Dedham, Massachusetts. His siblings were sisters Nicholina, Eleanor, Dorothy, Mary, and Virginia and brother Nicholas. He was also brother of the late Anne and Carmella. He was the beloved husband of 58 years to Elizabeth Jane, the love of his life, his partner and best friend. Together they raised five children: Michael, Deborah, Jeri Lynne, Frank, and Tony. He was also the cherished grandfather, known as Papa, to fourteen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
In his early career, Gerry served for 21 years in the U.S. Air Force, eventually attaining the rank of Senior Master Sergeant. During this time, he and his young family were located at stations in Mississippi, Japan, California, Maine and South Dakota. During their stay in Maine, Gerry attended classes at the University of Maine in Orono, and in 1968, graduated with his teaching degree. In 1969, Gerry retired from the Air Force and relocated his family to Mattapoisett to start his second career as a high school teacher at Old Rochester Regional High School. During his 24 years at O.R.R., he taught social studies classes on History, Contemporary Affairs and Economics, and he was the head coach for the football team, later the cross country team, and was assistant coach for the track and field team. He also served as a union representative and was acting Vice Principal for one year. In all of these roles, he was greatly admired by his students and his fellow staff members as a person whom they could trust, who put others before himself.
In 1993, Gerry retired from his teaching career to devote himself to the great joys of his life: his family, golf, gardening, economics and politics, working out and watching sports. He also remained active in civic life as a member of the Mattapoisett Board of Appeals, and as an organizer for the Mattapoisett Road Race. He remained, until the end, the first person to show up with tools in hand when one of his loved ones needed work done. He will be greatly missed by all his family and friends.
A wake will be held for Gerry at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Road, Route 6, Mattapoisett on Thursday December 11, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday December 12, 10:00 AM at St. Anthony’s Church on Barstow Street in Mattapoisett. In honor of his love of education, the Family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the following scholarship fund: Old Rochester Professional Educators Assoc. (ORPEA), P.O. Box 386, Rochester, MA 02770, Attn.: Ruth Jefferson. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.