- Date Of Birth: November 20, 1939
- Date Of Death: February 4, 2017
- State: Connecticut
Michael Gerald, 77, of Storrs, Connecticut, died peacefully at the Mansfield Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation with his beloved wife, Gloria at his side, on December 4, 2017, of lymphoma. He was born in Manhattan, New York, November 20th, 1939, to the late Tobias and Ruby Gerald.
He graduated from Christopher Columbus High School in 1957 and from Fordham University, College of Pharmacy in 1961. He received a commission from the United States Air Force as a Second Lieutenant and was stationed at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California. While still on active duty, he married the love of his life, Gloria Gruber. They had met several years earlier while still in New York City at his father’s pharmacy – her parents had a men’s shop just a few doors down.
After his Honorable Discharge as a First Lieutenant in 1965, Michael resumed his academic studies. He received his Ph.D. from Indiana University in a record three and a half years. After a year of post doctoral training at the University of Chicago, he was appointed Assistant Professor at the College of Pharmacy at The Ohio State University. He would spend the next 24 years there, eventually rising to Associate Dean.
Before departing the Ohio State University, Michael brought his family to France for one memorable year, while working as a consultant at the World Health Organization in nearby Geneva.
Michael would go on to serve as the Dean of the School of Pharmacy at the University of Connecticut, from 1993-2002, during which time he graduated the first Pharm. D. class and led the transition into the new pharmacy building. When Michael returned to the faculty, he especially enjoyed mentoring young pharmacy students on career options and creating lectures, such as, Drugs Go to Hollywood.
After retiring in 2012, Michael returned to writing books.
Michael was a man of many passions and hidden talents including photography, hiking, and fly fishing but most of all his family. Just four days before passing, he and Gloria celebrated their 52 wedding anniversary.
Michael was predeceased by his brother, Steven Gerald and his mother-in-law, Esther Gruber. He is survived by his son Marc (Christina Fang Gerald) and daughter Melissa, as well as two fabulous grandchildren. Also surviving are his sister-in-law, Susie Gerald (Kenny) and brother and sister-in-law, Howard and Alice Gruber. All will miss his dry sense of humor, nonjudgmental outlook, his kindness, curiosity and optimism.
Temple Bnai Israel
P.O. Box 61, Willimantic CT 06226
Hadassah of Manchester
37 Sass Dr., Manchester CT 06042
