Gerald B. "Jerry" Halt, Sr.

Gerald B. Halt, Sr. (Jerry), originally of Stewart Street, Philadelphia, age 94, died on November 12, 2024 surrounded by his loving family. He was the son of the late Frank and Mary Halt (nee Moran). Jerry is predeceased by his beloved bride of over 70 years, Theresa (nee Nugent). 

Jerry was the loving father of Teresa M. O’Malley (Tom), Patricia A. O’Brien (John), Deborah M. Trimble (Bob), and Gerald B. “Jay” Halt, Jr. (Rosemarie); adoring grandfather of Teresa, Jacqueline, Matthew, Alexandria, Tara, Anna, Andrew, Grace, Megan, and Laura; and caring great-grandfather of Patrick, Ryan, Joseph, Emmy, and Wyatt. He was predeceased by his sisters, Marjorie Crawford, Joan Murphy, Mary Cassidy, Bernadette Halt, and brother Francis Halt, and is survived by Sisters Madeline Matakonis, and Rosalie Sminkey, and brother Joseph Halt, and many nieces and nephews.

Jerry is a graduate of St. Thomas Moore High School, and joined the United States Marine Core in 1951, where he was stationed in Cherry Point, NC. Not wanting to be far apart from the love of his life, he married Teresa in January, 1952, and quickly brough her to his side in Cherry Point. Jerry left the Marine Corps and entered Villanova University, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1957. 

Jerry always pursued his passions, starting out as an engineer working at Honeywell and then at Burroughs Corporation on the Gemini space program. He then became an entrepreneur, starting a business as a typesetter at Photo Composition Incorporated in Upper Darby. He sold that successful business and went into electronic component sales and marketing, and then entered his first retirement. Not one to sit still, he became a financial planner and consultant, ultimately retiring a second time. His third act involved a 16-year stint as a patent proofreader at VolpeKoenig, whereupon he finally retired in 2020 at the age of 90. 

Jerry exuded a love for life, and could strike up an interesting conversation with anyone and make them laugh, whether he met them on the bus on the way to work in Philadelphia, at Wawa, or on one of his daily 2-mile walks. Jerry enjoyed music, boating and golf, and he particularly loved teaching all of his grandchildren how to play golf. He loved to travel across the country and around the world. He was also an avid poet, and shared his passion by writing many a heartfelt verse for birthdays, graduations and weddings of his children and grandchildren. He would even forgo presents at his own birthdays and anniversaries in lieu of requesting everyone to write poems in his honor. He was passionate about cultivating a common interest with each of his children, grandchildren and in-laws; each member of the family was special to him and he brought joy to all of who interacted with him. 

The Halt family are grateful to Jerry’s caregivers who provided compassionate, dedicated care during his struggle with dementia. During his last two years at Sunrise assisted living, he quickly became beloved by staff and residents of the memory care unit, often coming back from an outing with family with cheers of “Jerry!” He had a joyful, infectious manner about him.

Relatives and friends are invited to celebrate his life on Friday, November 15, 2024, 10:30 AM-12 Noon, at Saints Simon and Jude Church, 8 Cavanaugh Court, West Chester, PA 19382, followed by his Funeral Mass at Noon. Interment at SS Peter and Paul Cemetery, 1600 S. Sproul Road, Springfield, PA 19064.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Jerry’s name to Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, 909 N. Washington Street, Suite 400, Alexandria, VA 22314, (https://www.mcsf.org/giving-opportunities/)