Please copy and paste these links to view the church service and memorial held for James Gerry.
Church Service: https://boxcast.tv/view/james-gerry-memorial-service-fxndlxt0qs9r11p135yg
Memorial: https://upenn.box.com/s/tv7haly9670orz1vgiq2hpqilqyesumd
James (“Jim”) Eugene Gerry, respected business leader and beloved husband, brother, father, grandfather, cousin, and friend, died on December 6 of a chronic heart condition at his home in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. He was 79.
Born in Providence, Rhode Island, on August 2, 1942, the son of Eugene and Elizabeth (“Libby”) Gerry, he was deeply influenced by his childhood and adolescence in Rhode Island, and by the love and character of his parents. Jim‘s children fondly recall spending hours over the dinner table, or with relatives on family vacations, being regaled with stories of their father’s childhood adventures – tales that revealed both an intrepid spirit and a mischievous love for a practical joke that Jim would carry with him throughout his life.
Jim graduated from Warwick Veterans Memorial High School and Brown University, where he majored in English, made a number of wonderful lifelong friends, and developed his love of literature and his considerable talents as a writer and public speaker. After graduation in 1964, he served in the Navy for two years as a commissioned officer on the USS Beatty (DD-756).
At the completion of his naval service, Jim moved to Philadelphia for a position at the healthcare company then called Smith Kline & French. In 1975 he accepted an offer to join the founding team of a small start-up company called Synthes, which designed and manufactured innovative medical implants and instruments for the treatment of physical trauma. Jim moved his young family to Downingtown, PA, and would call Chester County his home for the rest of his life. There he raised his family and helped build Synthes from a fledgling firm to a major multinational corporation employing thousands of people that continues to make products that enrich countless lives. He retired from Synthes in 2009 as one of its most senior executives.
Just months after retirement, Jim married Cherie Galbrun; their relationship was one of his life‘s many great blessings. The last decade of his life was a rich one, filled with travel with Cherie, intellectual and philanthropic pursuits, winters in Marco Island, and the large and spirited summer family reunions he and Cherie routinely hosted. He will be long remembered for his commitment to family and love of place; for his sense of humor and masterful sense of comic timing; for his gift for friendship; and for his love of and service to his country.
He is survived by his wife Cherie; by his sister Mary-Lou Scott and his brother-in-law and lifelong friend Robert Scott; by his five children - Todd, Alexandra, Keith, Heather, and Brett; his nephew James M. Scott; and by his eight grandchildren. His family is planning a memorial service for him in the spring of 2022, about which details will follow. In the meantime, please share your pictures, stories, and memories of Jim below.
In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to the USO in honor of James Gerry.
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About |
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| Name | James Gerry |
| Date of Birth | August 2nd, 1942 |
| Date of Death | December 6th, 2021 |
| Home Town | Warwick, RI, US |
| Other City | Newtown Square, PA, US |
| Favourite Saying | Jim had many favorite sayings, favorite moments, and favorite people. His family is planning a memorial service on May 14 2022 in Pennsylvania to honor Jim and deeply hope you can come. Please check back to this site's event page for details. |
| In Memoriam Donation | In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to the USO in honor of James Gerry. |
| In Memoriam Donation | Please share your memories, stories, and photos by using the box below. We welcome you to download to keep any pictures you cherish of Jim's life from the Momentos page. |
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Family |
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| Significant Other | Cherie Galbrun-Gerry |
| Children | Alexandra Davis, Brett Christopher Gerry, Heather Gerry Kelly, Keith Gerry, Todd Gerry |
| Siblings | Mary-Lou Scott |
| Parents | Elizabeth ("Libby") Gerry, Eugene B. Gerry |
| Grand-Parents | Bernard B. Gerry, Eugenie Gerry, James H. Readio Jr. |
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published a tribute .
I have been trying to find Jim for years. He and I we good friends and worked together at a startup just before Jim went to Synthes and talked after as well. Today, I finally got to the point to search again for his phone number and found that he passed. I am so so sorry! Everything that has been written is spot on, a real gentleman, great sense of humor and ethical beyond comparison. Jim am I had a great time in Atlantic City during a convention for the company we were working for at the time. Cherie, I hope you remember me. Please accept my deepest and most sincere condolence. Rest in peace Jim.
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published a tribute .
Cherie and family: I only recently learned of Jim's passing through Art Leary. I am so sorry for your loss. My husband Paul had incredible respect for Jim and, I'm sure, would have many stories to share. I had the pleasure of seeing Jim whenever there was a Synthes social gathering within the NE region when they "allowed" the spouses to attend. Please accept my sympathy on the loss of an incredible man.
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published a tribute .
Jim very often is on my mind, and I still do miss him. He has been a very dear friend for over fifty years. I do regret that I am not able to attend today’s Memorial Service in his honor, but my thoughts will be with him. With love from Switzerland.
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published a tribute .
I thought of Jim just this week as I walked through the Orlando airport: the first time I remember talking with Jim was in that airport, trying to keep up with him and Mike Huggins as they rushed through baggage claim to get to an OTA or AAOS meeting, around the year 2000. They were company executives and I was a new product manager, but Jim was always friendly and open to everyone, never acting hierarchical. He was pleased to engage with anybody who entered his world, and always was able to lighten the mood. I got to know Jim through work events over the years and always enjoyed the discussion: he was a great conversationalist and open to talking about many varied topics, and he was funny! I was lucky enough to get to know him better once he found Cherie. My husband Francois and I enjoyed many nights out at restaurants throughout the area with Jim and Cherie, from local Italian joints to historic restaurants and even a place with portraits of cats on the walls. Our last dinner together was during the pandemic on our back deck, and I will always remember Jim's joie de vivre then and on our other social encounters.
published a comment .
Jim and I first met for my final interview in San Francisco in 1979. He has contributed to the success of not only the Company Synthes, but much more important, the AO and its Branches. he was as a Friend of mine has said, perhaps the soul of the effort, or the Ambassador.
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published a tribute .
I had the honor of working with Jim at Synthes for 25 years. It didn’t take me long to realize Jim was a major driving force in making Synthes what it became - the industry leader in Orthopedic Trauma products. Jim always had a smile on his face, wisdom to share and an open door when I needed advice. There are givers and takers in this world and Jim was an ultimate giver.
Once we retired, we continued our friendship over lunches, dinners and drinks in southwest Florida. Jim had a very direct and strong influence in helping me achieve success in my career. He will truly be missed by all those he came in contact with. He will not be forgotten - his memory will live on eternally.
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published a tribute .
In February 1981 I was very fortunate in joining Synthes where Jim Gerry was a driving spirit in what would become an exceptionally successful enterprise, - an outcome that certainly wasn’t guaranteed at the time. In fact, I was cautioned by several orthopedic surgeons with whom I worked that a better, surer choice for a career would be with an orthopedic company where joint replacement was their primary business. Internal fixation of fractures was not close to being a well-accepted treatment method. In fact, those advocating it were more than a bit suspect by many orthopedists. For Synthes to become a business success, the effort of all those promoting their products would require as much missionary zeal as traditional sales effort. Jim, and Hansjörg Wyss, recognized they needed a sales force motivated as much or more by being advocates of a novel operative treatment for fractures as they were by a prosperous future. Jim knew Synthes needed apostles. To that end, he shaped the culture of Synthes by recruiting who could take on a challenge and thereby promote this new and controversial method.
Early on I saw a remarkable instance where he did this and realized he was more than a very intelligent person – he was, more importantly, a good person. At one of the first annual meetings I roomed with a colleague who related a personally distressing situation he was going through. He had recently been placed on probation by our new national sales manager. This new manager decided a successful sales person could be simply assessed by metrics like quarterly growth, percentage increase of dollar volume, etc. The sales person’s rapport with surgeons and operating room staff or knowledge of the technical aspects of this new surgical treatment were unimportant to him. Just get the sale! For any who have seen the movie Glengarry Glen Ross you know the type. My roommate was confronting such a person.
In midst of this dilemma, my roommate managed to present his case to Jim Gerry. Jim recognized the value of character in evaluating the long term value of an individual. He was a keen assessor of a people. Fortunately, because of Jim, the sales consultant went on to have a career with Synthes that lasted for decades. That national sales manager? Not so much.
I’ve often thought back on that event which happened almost 40 years ago and see it as a fork in the road. The company without the guidance of Jim, and his relationship with Hansjörg, could have taken a completely different course. The company that Synthes became depended so much on Jim and his values.
Jim’s influence was pivotal in the success of another little-known effort that extended orthopedic care internationally. About 1990 I was informed by a surgeon in my territory, Lew Zirkle, a former army surgeon in Viet Nam, of a cause he was leading to provide fracture care in that post-war country. He did this even as he maintained an orthopedic practice in SE Washington at a hospital in my sales territory. A focus of his humanitarian effort at that time was providing orthopedic materials for use by surgeons at the Ho Chi Minh City Centre for Orthopedics & Trauma. He asked if Synthes might have any items they could donate. I said there might perhaps be odds and ends from various hospitals and perhaps some things from Synthes, but I wasn’t sure they would amount to much, but I’d see. I was able to get this request to Jim who informed me he would check out the possibilities. I imagined this would be the last I’d hear of the matter. As I came to know, that wasn’t Jim’s character. And, what he did was beyond anything Lew or I could have hoped for.
As it turned out, Lew‘s request coincided with a time when Synthes had thousands of items which had become unsalable which would soon be considered inventory with some value. There would be tax consequences. For example, a recent design change in a type of bone screw Synthes produced resulted in thousands of them being returned from hospitals across the country. Not only were there enormous numbers of these small bone screws which couldn’t be sold, the company also had many other items such as books, implants and instruments which fell into this category. It was Jim who arranged that large quantities of this excess inventory, useable but unsalable, would to be transferred to the organization which Lew was just then creating. In 1992 my wife and I accompanied Lew to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) where this generous Synthes donation was gratefully received. It was heartwarming to see the appreciation expressed for the gift of these materials by surgeons and staff. They knew the enormous benefit the donation would be for the poor, seriously injured patients for whom they cared.
The humanitarian work which Lew did then was just then beginning of what would become SIGN Fracture Care (https://www.signfracturecare.org ), an organization which is now in 55 developing countries, 394 hospitals and have documented healing 376,924 patients healed. Jim played a role in this happening which should be counted as part of his incredible legacy. I was so lucky to have known him and be able to count him as a friend.
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published a tribute .
I was so sorry to hear about your loss. I first met Jim in 1982 when I joined Synthes as one of 2 area Chicago sales people. He always knew when I had a call in to him, that I needed something (although I am sure he dreaded getting my calls), but he always helped. He will be missed by so many people.
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published a tribute .
In July of 2017, I reconnected with my longtime friend, Cherie and our mutual friend, Averil.. We met at the halfway point between us, Grounds For Sculpture in Hamilton Township, NJ. My husband Bob Archigian accompanied me. It was on this day that we met Jim for the first time. A brief moment in time. Yet, as Jim interacted with us in his gentle way, his story unfolded at the lunch table in a beautiful garden. Though the meeting was brief, I realize now that we received just a glimpse into the very special person he was and what a contribution his presence was to all whom he knew and beyond. May his memory be a blessing to Cherie, the family and all.
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published a tribute .
Cherie, I am so very sorry for your loss. Jim was such a lovley gentleman, so professional. I remember him at so many Synthes Annual Meetings and AAOS. I do remember that he always wanted his hotel room on a high floor and away from the elevator! I will send you a few other photos that I found. I am so sorry that I cannot attend the memorial as I will be out of the country at that time. Pat
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published a tribute .
Cherie,
It is with great sadness that I send you this email. Joann and I are so sorry for your loss, your family's loss and of course our loss. Jim was a great guy (as you know), and always stuck up for me and helped me when I got in a jam. which was frequently. His humor, his warmth, his wit, his love was always there. I never remember seeing Jim in a bad mood or grouchy with anyone. Even when (if) he was angry, we hardly knew, he never showed it. The closet he ever came was to be slightly impatient. Please accept our condolences over the loss of a great man and I am sure a great husband and partner to you. Our best, Bill and Joanie Grohar
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published a tribute .
Like many other young surgeons, I was the benefactor of Jim’s kindness, counsel and friendship. Supportive and kind he was supportive of my involvement with the AO . His friendship is one I treasure
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published a tribute .
We got to know Jim through our dear friend Cherie who we have known for 38 plus years. We spent many hours on Marco Island with Jim and Cherie playing board games and having many laughs. David as an Orthopedic surgeon got to see the practical application and revolutionary changes that took place as a result of his work at AO.
Jim, we will miss you so much and will always save a seat at the game table for you.
Love,
Nancy & David
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published a tribute .
Dear Aunt Cherie and Gerry Family,
The Wooddell family all love Jim so very much. His kindness, steadiness, presence and love was deeply felt and still is within our family. We often talk about all of the Christmas celebrations that we got to spend with Jim and Aunt Cherie and how it was always so fun. Spending time with both of you was and full of love, joy, and wonderful stories. Jim was such a light in our family and continues to be. He is and will always be deeply missed and loved by us. Jim’s kindness, strength, love, generosity, and so many other amazing qualities will live on for many years to come. We are deeply sorry for your loss and our love and warmest thoughts are with you.
With all our love,
Carter, Gregory, Ella and Edan Wooddell
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published a tribute .
Dear Cherie, dear Gerry family, I am Jaime Quintero, MD an orthopaedic & trauma surgeon from Bogotá, Colombia. 1989 was a turning point in my career. I had been elected trustee of the AO Foundation and I met Jim for the first time in the Baden-Baden general assembly in Germany. We clicked right away and a long lasting friendship evolved throughout the years. In 1997 I was granted a visiting professorship at the MGH in Boston (Prof. Jesse Jupiter) and I know this was made possible by Jim's generosity with the AO and myself. I never saw him as the company man, he was just a dear friend, a true sponsor in many of the AO activities I was involved. Not too many people know that Jim was instrumental (always discreet, behind the curtains) in the establishment of the AO Latin America section of the AO in 1998. AONA had been established in 1992 and strong bonds were the result with great camaraderie and friendship. Every year we met, there were moments of joy and celebration, wether in Davos, during the AO meetings or in one of the educational AONA activities (Sun Valley, etc). Short before his retirement I had to deliver some words on behalf of the Board of the AO Foundation, I remember I said that Jim was a virtuous and sincere man, ready to serve and to offer the best advice with honesty and frankness, but our true admiration was even more than that, Jim always remained true and loyal to his principles, under all circumstances and at all times: A Man for All Seasons!
My sincere condolences and sympathy to Cherie and all, my amigo will be missed..
Jaime Q
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published a comment .
My first meeting with Jim was in June 1969 at Smith Kline in Philadelphia (my first trip from Switzerland to the U.S.). Since then, we regularly and frequently saw each other on Synthes and AO business on both sides of the Atlantic, in Davos and other interesting places. We shared so many common memories, and over the years he became one of my best, long-lasting friends. He was such a wonderful person. I am deeply saddened that he had to leave this world so suddenly and never ever will send me one of his great E-mails. I shall miss him dearly and will never forget him. I do express my sincerest condolences and deepest sympathy to Cherie and the entire Gerry family. May he rest in peace.
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published a tribute .
I met Jim Gerry in 1982 at my first AO course while a resident. We became fast friends. In 1984 he called and invited me to become an AO Faculty in North America (the days before Compliance when Synthes played a pivotal role in AO Education. I have many great moments but some of my favorites include the trip Jim and Cherie made with me and Susan to Prague after the Berlin Trustee meeting and after the Beijing Trustee we flew to Xi Ann to see the terra-cotta warriors then spent 3 days floating down the Yangsee river with Jim, Cherie, Peter and Francis Trafton and Susan and my daughter Julia. I will share some of these photos. Bless you Jim for being such a good man and friend.
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published a tribute .
I met Jim when I joined Synthes in 1990. Over the years he became someone I would consult with for advice, career coaching and sometimes kill a half hour with just laughing and telling stories. My last time spent with him was 2 years ago, at the Flying Pig Saloon in Malvern, with some of the old gang. He was getting ready to head to Florida, which he always looked forward to. He was a kind man who always made time for you, and loved to share great stories. He will be missed. I extend my sincerest condolences to his family.
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published a tribute .
Jim was much more than a colleague. He was a man's man, a man of great depth, insight, integrity and humor. We shared so many good times together. Jim was always a pleasure to be with even during the challenging times. My wife and I were fortunate to spend quality time with him and Cherie in both PA and Marco Island. While I really loved working with Jim at Synthes I cherish our time together the past few years getting to know and love him even more. Our hearts go out to Cherie. We love you so much. (photo with Jim, Steve Schwartz in Crete, Greece),
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published a tribute .
I met Jim in 1990 when I began my career with Synthes. Jim was one of the “good guys” I could go to when I needed advice or help. Our friendship continued when I retired in 2015. Each winter in Florida, we would hook up for dinner and drinks and share old Synthes stories. I feel so fortunate to call him a friend for over 31 years.
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published a tribute .
Jim and I were the very best of friends for over 60 years. It all started in 1961 when we joined the Delta Phi fraternity at Brown. We soon found we had so many things in common such as a devilish sense of humor, love of Narraganset beer especially when served from the tap at the Portuguese American Social Club of Providence by our good friend the bartender Zuzu Cabral. A few times we helped Zuzu close the place up and he invited us to his house where his wife was waiting for us with chorizo baked in wine and hard crust Portuguese bread. At our 45th reunion Jim and I immediately repaired to the PA as we called the club to have a couple of beers. There was no discussion about it. All we had to do is look at one another and we both knew what we were thinking. in our junior year we became roommates and so it went the next year as well. We were both in NROTC. Jim went Navy and I went Marine Corps. We were both proud and honored to serve our country. Jim considered his service in the Navy one of the finest accomplishments in his life. Over the years we kept in touch with one another and our friendship never waned. We visited each other regularly through the years and had great reunions with our fraternity brethren. a highlight was our trip to Colorado to visit Bob and Georgia Buehler where we went white water rafting one day. Cherie and Jim shared many good times together with Judy and me whether in Marco Island or at our place in Bristol RI. All these wonderful memories will serve to assuage the sadness we all feel as a result of Jim's passing. I shall never forget him, my best friend.
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From Beth Hines: Heather, I’m so sorry! I’m in disbelief as I just saw your father before Thanksgiving. He was such a gentle gentleman who LOVED all of you and the rest of your family SO much!!! When I helped him and Cherie design their home,… he always was insistent to have more ‘items’ in the room then needed because they reminded him of a loved family member! Love his huge heart!!! He will be remembered in such loving ways. You are lucky to have had such a wonderful father!!!
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published a tribute .
I met JIm in 1990 when I was young AO surgeon. We became fast friends as we shared a common sense of humor. He was instrumental in my involvement in the AO. We shared countless experiences all over the world. He was a great friend and I will miss him dearly. Photos to follow
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published a tribute .
I met Jim in 1977 when I joined Synthes. He was always the absolute gentleman. We had some experiences that ran from humorous to threatening and I loved every moment with Jim. His positive attitude toward life was so evident. He was blessed with a great family and he lived well with Sheree. I owe him a lot for the career I had and will miss him forever. Looking forward to seeing everyone at the memorial service.
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published a tribute .
I am one of the many orthopaedic trauma surgeons that owe so much to Jim on a professional level for his AO work. On a personal level my wife Kathy and I enjoyed his company since 1990 in Davos and subsequently at many AO Courses in the US. A loss for the AO family as well as his family. A true gentleman.
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published a tribute .
Jim and Cherie were some of the first friends we made when we moved to Marco Island five years ago. I always sat with Jim at the Marco Island Yacht Club book club meetings and loved hearing his thoughts (positive or negative!) on the book of the month, as well as his perceptive insights. He had the best laugh! Jim, I still regret not believing you during that trivia game when you said that Denver's airport could land two planes at the same time. We could have been the trivia champions!! Morris and I will miss you so much.
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published a tribute .
Over the years Jim became one of my best friends. Many fond memories come to mind: antics at Brown, visiting him in Pa digging out a rotten maggot filled possum from under the deck of his log home, telling his boys the story of “Sniffy Butcho and the flip flop bird”, his visit to see Georgia and I in Colorado with Manny Menezes, and most recently our visit to Florida with our friends from Colorado.
He and his endless emails will be missed.
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Thank you so much for sharing this collection of memories! We hope to have an "open mic" part to his memorial reception in the spring, and I'm hoping people will share a story or two then as well as continue to post stories here! I do not personally remember the maggot-filled possum and am somewhat grateful for that--it may have been before my time!
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published a comment .
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