Gerald Thomas Serfass

Jerry Serfass, of New Fairfield, CT, surrounded by his family, passed into the arms of Jesus at Regional Hospice in Danbury, CT, after a ten-month struggle with cancer. 

Gerald Thomas Serfass was born on April 26, 1944 to Harold and Stephanie (Valent) Serfass in Philadelphia. He graduated from Cardinal Dougherty High School and LaSalle College (now University), with a B.S. in Business Administration. He served for six years in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. After a career at IBM spanning 33 years, he worked for Healthnut Alternatives, side-by-side with his son Matthew. 

Faith and family were at the center of Jerry’s life. He met his wife of 49 years, Jane (Panaccion) Serfass, on Christmas Day, at a gathering hosted by a mutual friend: facing each other, a game-board balanced on their knees, they felt an electric connection. To share the lessons learned during their years together, Jane and Jerry, for two decades, coached couples about to be wed and spouses in distress. Jerry was a longstanding member of New Life United Methodist Church in New Fairfield, where he led Bible studies, taught Sunday School, and served in several leadership roles. He volunteered for the Jericho Partnership, a coalition of Christian non-profits in Danbury, and chaired the board of one of its organizations, Good Samaritan Mission. Jerry was a humble, generous, and godly man who had a passion for helping others. 

Jerry was never happier than when spending time with his family, especially during the holidays and on vacation in Chincoteague, VA. He also enjoyed the company of his friends—over coffee, at the dinner table, on hikes through the hills of Connecticut, or during Game Night, when he liked to try his luck at backgammon. Loyal, understanding, and good-humored, Jerry will be missed by friends and family alike. 

Jerry is survived by his wife, Jane; three sons, Adam (Abigail), Matthew (Jessica), and Joshua (Allison); a brother, Philip; a sister, Sandra; and two step-sisters, Lorraine and Lucille.

A Celebration of Jerry’s life will take place at New Life United Methodist Church on Saturday, December 14, 2019, at 2:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Jerry’s memory to Jericho Partnership (jerichopartnership.org), Regional Hospice (regionalhospicect.org), or the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (lls.org).

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