Raymond P Gerbi, Jr. Obituary (1947 - 2023)

1947-2023 Brunswick-ME-We will all miss Raymond Peter Gerbi, Jr., 75. His sudden death on April 23rd leaves family and friends with hearts full of gratitude for the time we spent with him and with huge holes for the times we will not get to share. Over his last few weeks he was able to spend a lot of time with his kids and grandkids, and his last day brought a long-sought round of April golf. The son of Raymond Sr. and Mary (Davis) Gerbi, Ray met his wife of over 53 years, Pam, in elementary school in Littleton, Massachusetts. They married following his graduation from Colby College in 1969, and Ray immediately set to work making indelible marks on his communities. After federal and state government jobs, he spent nearly 30 years of his paid career at Concord (NH) Hospital, where he has a rooftop garden named in his honor. Although Langley Parkway, leading to the hospital in Concord is (obviously) not named for him, his grandkids call it Grampy’s Road because of his efforts championing its construction. After technically retiring, he moved to Brunswick, Maine, staying busy in many other ways. Through his devotion to NH Scots, the Pejepscot History Center, as a volunteer tax preparer for Midcoast CA$H, and a recent start on the Curtis Library Board of Directors, he spread kindness and humanity far and wide. As important as his public and professional contributions were, Ray was a family man at heart, attending innumerable games, plays, concerts, and birthday parties. Replies to invitations often included “What tools should I bring?”, as he sought to fix anything that needed fixing. Every year, whether by water, land, or air, he and Pam found adventures across the continent and overseas. From his many years spent on the ballfields to building wooden toys for his children and grandchildren to hiking all New Hampshire’s 4000-footers and canoeing throughout Maine and New Hampshire, he shared and gave generously, with his Leatherman always at the ready. Anyone who knew Ray was touched by his helping spirit and terrible puns. The joke calendar on his wall the day he died read, “If I were to wander around Italy, would I be Roman?”. As the grandson of Italian immigrants, and someone who loved to travel, we will keep these words close as we remember our times together. He is survived by Pam, his children, Chris and his wife Aimee, Greg and his wife Meg, and Melissa and her husband John, and grandchildren, Erin, Megan, Molly, Evan, Jack, and Jordan, in addition to his two sweet cats and large collection of hippo figurines. The family will announce a gathering at a later date. Arrangements are by Stetson’s Funeral Home, 12 Federal St., Brunswick, where condolences, memories and photos may be shared with the family at www.stetsonsfuneralhome.com