R.I.P GERRY.

Obituary

Gerald William  Forrester Lewis (known as “Gerry”)6^th November1932 – 29^th February 2020

 A life-long river  Wye salmon fisherman and a longstanding member of the former  Wye Gillies Association, Gerry Lewis sadly died on the 29^th February aged 88.

Gerry was born in Bartonsham, Hereford, on 6^th November 1932.  He attended Hereford High School for Boys and on leaving school was an apprentice on GPO telephones.  He was called up to do two  years National Service and was signed up to the Royal Signals where he was lucky enough to continue with the work he was trained to do.  After initial training he served in Malaya and Singapore and on leaving the army he then spent time in Canada and the USA, working on their telephone systems. 

In his youth Gerry was a member of a local Youth club and over the years was keen on amateur boxing, rugby union, table tennis, lawn tennis, was a member of a swimming team, later played water polo and played in a skittles team.  In addition to this he also loved sailing and had a dinghy which he sailed with his brotheras crew at Llangorse Lake and occasionally at Salcombe in Devon.

 His overriding passion, however, was salmon fishing,  in which he was engaged from an early age with his father Tom (who for many years was the landlord of the Brewer’s Arms in Hereford) and brother Alan on his beloved River Wye and the love of the sport stayed with him all his life.

Away from the river and sports he enjoyed traditional jazz, visits to the theatre with his wife, especially when they visited London, and they both enjoyed ballroom dancing

He returned from the USA to attend his brother Alan’s wedding in the early 1960’s and subsequently met his wife Marjorie and they were married at St. James Church, Hereford, on 6^th November 1965,

Gerry went to work for Specials Metals Wiggins in Hereford on his return from the USA eventually taking early retirement.  This allowed him more time  to commit to his passion of salmon fishing.

 He  worked part time on a beat at Holme Lacy and then for the racehorse trainer  John (“jockey”) Edwards on the Caradoc estate and  fishery, near Ross on Wye.  When John Edwards eventually sold the estate, Gerry  continued working at Caradoc for Lucinda and Patrick Darling, and he was still connected to Caradoc when he died.

Gerry was a Chelsea Football supporter and his nephew Paul is a Manchester United fan so there was lots of leg pulling and banter taking place after matches between the two teams, with Paul’s son Tom joining in.

 As the rods on the Wye will testify, Gerry was a cheerful, optimistic, outgoing character who always looked on the bright side of life.  To his memory, they like to think that he has just “Gone Fishing Instead of Just A’ Wishing”. 

He died after a short illness  leaving a widow Marjorie to whom he had been married  to for 54 years. His funeral service was held at Hereford crematorium on the 19^th March .