T. Gerald Dyar Obituary

[daveklepper]

Possibly other railfans knew him.  He was one of my best friends at MIT, we bycicled together to photograph streetcars, rode the Comet from Boston to Hartford together, and the friendship continiued with my stopping off at Hartford between MIT and my parent's in NYCity.  Surpose when he was assigned to my small technical detachment at Fort Bragg.  He was a shareholder in the Providence and Worcester and each year sent me the railroad's outstanding calender.  Wondered why I was not hearing from him regularly, and it took this time to find out from the Branford Electric Railway Association, The Shore Line Trolley Musuem, www.shorelinetrolley.org.

Music, audio, trains and trolleys were our most common interests.

Thomas Gerald Dyar Obituary
View More Obituaries Thomas Gerald Dyar Thomas Gerald Dyar October 4, 1930 - August 7, 2017 Born in Plymouth, MA Resided in Vernon, CT share Guestbook Photos Services Flowers

Obituary

Gerry Dyar, 86, most recently of Vernon, CT passed away on August 7, 2017 at Hartford Hospital with his family by his side. Gerry experienced 2 years of multiple health issues against which he fought with strength, bravery, humor and his lifelong, forward thinking, skilled, embrace of technology.
Born to the late Grace Esther Collison Mooers Dyar and Leon Mooers on October 4, 1930 in Plymouth, MA he was later adopted by his step-father George “Duke” Wellington Dyar. Gerry moved frequently through out his childhood. This provided him with the ability to view life from a broad perspective and with a taste for adventure while also giving him a great appreciation for the comforts of routine and familiar surroundings.

At the time of his passing, Gerry and his loving wife, Helen Riker of Fairfield, CT had recently celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary. Gerry and Helen met at Hartford Hospital where she was completing her RN training and he was working part-time as an aid to support himself while in college. They raised their family in West Hartford, CT retiring to Westbrook, CT and most recently moving to Vernon, CT. Helen was Gerry’s partner throughout their marriage and during many of his pursuits and civic activities whether bicycling through Europe, volunteering with the Beach Association or serving on the Elmwood Elementary School PTA. He frequently enjoyed joining Helen to kayak on the river and ocean immediately surrounding their home.

A graduate of Hartford’s Bulkeley High School, Gerry attended MIT for two years and graduated from Trinity College with a degree in Electrical Engineering.
This education provided the foundation for his varied experiences throughout his long career history. Included in this history was starting and/or owning the businesses Margolis Audio and Gray Research and Development; independent consultant; Assistant Director of The Travelers Data Processing Dept; General Manager of DATA 2000; VP & CFO of Fiscal Dynamics and Sole Proprietor of Strategic Financial Planning.

From 1955 to 1957 Gerry served his country in the US Army at the Special Warfare Center at Fort Bragg, NC. He was assigned to the CONARC test board at the Center where he helped evaluate portable radio and television broadcasting stations and high-powered field PA systems for Psychological Warfare and short wave clandestine communication systems for the Special Forces. He completed his active duty as the Signal NCO of the Center with the rank of Sergeant. He then served two years in the Army Reserve as the Signal NCO of the 76th Infantry Division with the rank of Sergeant First Class.

Gerry was interested in learning about everything. He loved to ask about the particulars of people’s lives and work whether they were a minister or a goat herder. He had an ability to relate to other’s experiences and an amazing memory that allowed him to recall details years later.

Throughout his life he held a continuous interest in many things. Among them were reading, bicycling, photography, trolleys, trains and transportation, audio engineering, computers, technology and food. These interests were reflected in all aspects of his life.

His volunteerism was a constant through out his life and he was an asset to any community in which he lived.

Gerry became an active participant in the Yankee Council of the American Youth Hostel association beginning in 1971. His varied roles included leading stateside and European bicycle hosteling and camping trips, developing leadership training, improving the newsletter, collaborating with community organizations, increasing membership and programing and as President of the Yankee Council. His enthusiasm introduced many people to the joy of bicycling. Over his lifetime of bicycling, including commuting to work as well as touring, he rode over 40,000 miles.

His love of trains, trolleys and transportation was reflected in many of his roles which include sitting on the board of the CT DOT Fastrak bus routes; Co-Chair of the Middlesex Chambers Transportation Council; appointments to the I-91 Transportation Investment Area Board of the statewide Transportation Strategy Board and the statewide I-95 corridor study group; and involvement in improvement and retention of the Shoreline East train station in Westbrook. He had a life long love of rail transportation, which started in his youth when he collected large model trains, built model railroads for them and rode rail routes for fun. In recent years this happily culminated in becoming a licensed streetcar motorman through Branford Electric Railway Association and becoming a volunteer motorman on the association’s streetcars.

While he and Helen lived in Westbrook, CT he was active in the community as president of Westbrook Council of Beaches as well as their Webmaster. He was also organizer and vice president of the Connecticut Communities Organization. Early in their retirement he and Helen completed the US Power Squadron Boating Course.

Most recently he consulted on and assisted with the installation of a new sound system at his and Helen’s spiritual community, First Congregational Church of Vernon. He was also their Webmaster, a job from which he resigned only 1 week before passing away.

Gerry lived a long, active, and varied life. It is only possible to touch the surface of that life here. If you were to encounter him at random moments over his lifetime you might find Gerry engaged in any of the following:

•With a friend completing 36 rides on 11 roller coasters in 5 amusement parks in 3 states over a period of 24 hours and 5 minutes.

•Watching the new Dr Who or reading Sherlock Holmes.

•Doing the NY Times Sunday crossword puzzle in pen.

•Accepting the honor of the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce 2010 Distinguished Citizens Award in recognition of his outstanding achievements and leadership.

•Having a meal with family and friends at Edd’s Place in Westbrook.

•Preparing his breakfast of Irish oatmeal with smoked mackerel and Vietnamese fish sauce.

•Taking a grandchild to the Slide Rule Museum.

•Building a tool, the right tool for the job, to aid him in one of his many creations or repair jobs.

•Listening to music ranging from Classical to Jazz to Rock.

•Designing and installing a set-back thermostat from scratch in our home long before they were commercially available.

•Drinking an India Pale Ale on the patio and tending the charcoal in his homemade grill that he had just lit with white gasoline.

•Binge watching all 6 Star War’s movies.

•Exploring the the explosive parameters of fire works ranging from fire crackers to a 1/4 stick of dynamite.

Gerry is survived by his wife, Helen Riker Dyar, 3 children, Lynda Dyar of Vernon, CT; Sharon Dyar of Vernon, CT; Richard W. Dyar and wife, Megan Andrejco of Bayonne, NJ; and 5 grandchildren, Brandon Shaw, Emmeline Solomon, Chelsea Shaw, Freddy W. Andrejco Dyar and Collin W. Andrejco Dyar. He is predeceased by his recently found half brother, Robert Mooers, (Wendy), niece and 2 great-nephews.

A memorial Service will be held on Sept 30, 2017 at 11am at First Congregational Church of Vernon. A reception will follow in the Fellowship room.

Gerry’s family kindly requests, that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to either the Rails to Trails Conservancy or the First Congregational Church of Vernon, CT.

(Connecticut banks rails-to-trails with the understanting that restoration of rail service has prioritiy.)

[daveklepper]

Hope others reading this Forum knew him and can add comments.

I was Surprised when he was assigned to my small Fort Bragg PsyWar detachment.  Again lack of edit button.

[NorthWest]

My condolences, Dave. He sounds like he was a great friend.