William S. Gere, Jr.

William S. “Bill” Gere, Jr., 97, of Cheshire passed away on January 20, 2026. He was the devoted husband of the late Marilyn L. Gere for over 67 years. Born in Syracuse, New York on December 30, 1928, he was the son of the late Carol (Hixon) and William S. Gere.

Bill received a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Industrial Engineering from Cornell University. He received a Master of Science in Economics and a PhD in Industrial Administration from Carnegie Mellon University (then Carnegie Institute of Technology). An assistant professorship at Yale University in the School of Engineering brought him to Cheshire in 1960. He was next employed by Uniroyal, Inc. From 1975 until his retirement in 1995, he was at the University of New Haven in various positions including Dean of the Graduate School.

Bill participated in a number of organizations in the Cheshire area including First Congregational Church, the Board of Education on which he served as Chairman, and, later in life, the Quinnipiac River Watershed Association. He was a dedicated blood donor. 

As a father he took great pleasure in his children and their interests.  He was raised to appreciate the outdoors and took the family on many hikes. He passed on his interest in bird watching, running, and tennis. He had a keen sense of humor and word play, was fond of puzzles of all types, was a highly knowledgeable coin collector, and a kind, good spirited and optimistic man.

Bill is the beloved father of Jane E. Gere (James Zorn) of San Francisco, CA, Carol J. Gere of Wallingford, and Merrily A. (Timothy Delgado) Gere of New Britain. He is also survived by his cherished grandson, Griffin E. Gere; his daughter-in-law, Kathleen Pavlik of Hamden; and a number of nieces and nephews and their children.  Bill was predeceased by his son, William S. Gere, III and brothers, James M. Gere and Frederick Gere.  

Services will be conducted privately at the convenience of the family.  Memorial contributions may be made to the Cheshire Congregational Church Memorial Fund, 111 Church Dr., Cheshire CT 06410 or to CT Foodshare, 450 Woodland Ave., Bloomfield, CT 06002-1342.