Gerald J. Hammerle, 78, died Sunday at Lee Health Care.
Jerry enjoyed spending time with family and friends making them laugh with jokes and witty comebacks. Jerry enjoyed watching the Patriots, Red Sox and the Green Bay Packers. When he wasn’t watching sports he loved watching an old western or, according to his wife, one of his all time favorites, General Hospital. He enjoyed listening to Elvis especially the Christmas songs and had a love for fishing.
He was born in Pittsfield, MA, on January 23, 1943, the son of Warren and Mary (Pavoni) Hammerle Jr. He was a graduate of Lee High School.
Jerry began his plumbing career as an apprentice with Johnson Plumbing and Heating and eventually received his Master’s license in plumbing and welding. Jerry worked at Kimberly Clark in Lee and eventually started his own plumbing business with Tanglewood as one of his primary contracts until he retired in 2008. While retired, Jerry worked part time at Miss Hall’s School as a custodian for about 4 years. Jerry was a former member of the Lenox Lions.
He is survived by his wife, the former Francesca Aru whom he married in 1976; two sons: Jeffrey S. Hammerle and his wife, Kelly of Otis, Brian Hammerle and his wife, Cheraco of Florida; one daughter: Brenda McDarby Hammerle of Lee, one sister: Carol Hammerle and her spouse, Kristine Servais of Green Valley, AZ; eleven grandchildren: Alicia Dulin and her husband, Brian of Lee, Garrett Russell and his fiancée, Lindsay of Wilmington Massachusetts. Daulton McDarby of Lee, TJ Hammerle of Pittsfield, Derek Halpin of Colorado, McKenna Hammerle of Otis, Alyssa Hammerle of Lee; two great grandchildren: Boston and Asher Dulin of Lee, a stepson James Thurston and his wife Laura, and a stepdaughter Gigi Fusini. He was predeceased by his first wife, Virginia Healey in 1966 and his son, Timothy J. Hammerle in 2019.
Funeral services for Gerald Hammerle will be held on Wednesday, December 1st with a liturgy of Christian Burial at 11 AM at St. Mary’s Church in Lee. Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, friends wishing may make donations in his memory to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in c/o the Kelly Funeral Home, 3 Main Street, Lee, MA 01238.