He was born in Laurelton, New York, to Max and Sylvia Ross. The family name was Rosenzweig until the 1940s, when Max Anglicized it for professional reasons — a practical necessity given the antisemitism of the era, undertaken so Max could win poultry contracts from the U.S. government. A real mensch, Gerry's heritage, faith, and traditions remained at the center of his life. He loved the holidays, and he was the best Seder leader anyone could hope for: part scholar, part host, part comedian, and never in a hurry to get to the brisket. Gerry was an Eagle Scout, as was his father before him — a tradition he was honored to share with his son-in-law Tim and his grandson Oakley.

As a young man Gerry played the drums and drove a little red Corvette, in which he picked up a girl named Judy for their first date. They were married for 61 years. He was a proud alumnus of Queens College and Brooklyn Law School, where a classmate named Paul Simon was once told by a professor that he'd never amount to anything — at least not in law. Gerry told the story for the rest of his life, always with the same ending: "Yeah, but did the world really need another lawyer? No. But we needed Simon and Garfunkel."

Gerry practiced law briefly and decided it wasn't for him. He found his place in textile exporting, a business that suited both his impeccable style and his considerable acumen. He spent decades with United Merchants, and when virtually the entire textile industry left the United States, he didn't waste any time. Well into middle age, Gerry fearlessly started over — a serial entrepreneur who launched several successful ventures, including Alpine Textiles and a bookkeeping firm. Later in his career, Gerry worked as an independent salesperson, including for firms such as CPR.

Gerry traveled to more than 65 countries. He loved the Beach Boys, James Bond, and food! He performed in community theater in Jericho, Long Island, where he and Judy raised their family, and his Lazar Wolf in Fiddler on the Roof brought down the house. He held firm views on politics and Parmigiano Reggiano, which he considered the undisputed king of Italian cheeses. He had a good sense of humor — sarcastic and self-deprecating in equal measure, always in good fun.

Gerry loved a good story, and he loved being in one. One time, he found himself at breakfast in a hotel beside the jazz pianist Dave Brubeck, famous for the jazz standard "Take Five." Watching Brubeck reach for a muffin, Gerry quickly improvised and said, "Why don't you Take Five?" Brubeck loved the quip and said, "Hey... that's good. How about a free ticket to tonight's show?"

But his greatest passion was his family. Gerry and Judy never stopped being in love. He took an active interest in everything his children and grandchildren were doing, and he knew the school fight song of every college any of them attended. He sang them, lovingly, until the final days of his long life. He took great joy in his family's adventures. Whenever his children returned from a trip, Gerry would take their photographs and curate them — carefully, adoringly — into beautiful bound pamphlets for everyone to keep. His eye was unsurpassed. He was a man of many talents, and that was one of the quieter ones.

Gerry was the consummate family man. During their older years, he and Judy welcomed a new member of the family: their beloved dog, Sydney.

Gerry never stopped being curious. Even while gravely ill at the end of his life, he took up artificial intelligence, tinkering with it to produce doctored images and small creative bits that he sent to family and friends around the world. Fighting for his life, he still found ways to share joy.

He was relentlessly positive. When life or business got hard, his advice to everyone around him was always the same: keep punching.

Gerry is survived by the love of his life, Judy L. Ross; his daughter Dana Halpern (Tim); his son Andrew Ross (Debra); his grandchildren, Savannah Halpern, Ethan Ross, Oakley Halpern, and Joely Ross; and beloved nephews, nieces, and cousins. He was preceded by his parents, Max and Sylvia Ross.

May his memory be a blessing always.

A celebration of Gerry's life will be held Saturday, September 19, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Fellowship Senior Living, 3501 Lively Lane, second floor, Mount Pleasant, SC 29466.

Family and friends are invited to attend and to share their memories of him.  A portion of the ceremony will be broadcast virtually over the Internet, from 5:30-600 by Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81557925414?pwd=aJqOTLd86J4IHgC4xnEhAt3rGwNB1Q.1