Gerald "Gerry" N. Smith

Gerald N. Smith

5/1/1949 – 10/7/2023

Gerald “Gerry” N. Smith, 74, of Lancaster, MA, passed away at Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Newton, MA on Saturday, October 7, 2023. He leaves behind his wife of 48 years, Janet F. (Fitzgerald) Smith of Lancaster, MA.

Gerry was born in Concord, MA, on May 1, 1949, son of the late Lester and Carrollinn (Johansson) Smith. He was raised in Sudbury, MA attending local schools and was a 1967 graduate of Lincoln-Sudbury High School. He attended Nasson College in Springvale, ME earning a Bachelor of Science degree in biology in 1971. Both Gerry and Janet raised their children in Bolton, MA while residing there from 1985 to 2010. They have lived in Lancaster, MA the past 12 years.

In addition to his wife, Janet, Gerry leaves his son Geoffrey Smith and his wife Charisse of Wilmington, MA; his daughter Johanna Smith of Lancaster, MA and his 3 grandchildren, Emma, Victoria, and Charlie. He is also survived by his brother Craig Smith and husband Larry Jacobsen of Portland, OR, and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his 2 brothers, Chandler Smith of Marlborough, MA and Bradford Smith of Farmington, ME.  He is survived by Bradford’s wife Juanita Smith of Farmington, ME.  He is also survived by his brother and sister-in-law, Peter and Jill Hall of Natick, Massachusetts.

Gerry was raised on the family Mink Farm in Sudbury. Working was part of life on the farm as a young man and helped him understand the advantages of hard work.  After college he had a short stint at the Treadway Wellesley Inn as a waiter. This was where he met his future wife, Janet.  His 35 years in the lake management industry includes many accomplishments and awards. He served as a consulting Aquatic Scientist to Furgo East, Inc, a firm with worldwide offices. He co-directed IEP’s Lakes/Hydrology Division from the mid 1970’s to the early 1990’s. In 1976 he founded Aquatic Control Technology, Inc, a firm which he owned and operated with Janet by his side until selling the business in 2011. During his career, Gerry served on many state committees and task forces dealing with lake management. In December 2000, he received the SePro Corp’s prestigious award for “Stewardship of Our Nations Water Resources and Contributions to the Aquatic Industry” given to one individual each year. He was a frequent guest speaker for the industry and an active member of several professional societies. He was Past-President of the Northeast Aquatic Plant Management Society and also served a 3-year term as Region 1 Director for the North America Lake Management Society (NALMS) and most recently was a director of the Nashua River Watershed Association (NRWA).

Gerry was a passionate fly fisherman and loved to travel with his friends to remote areas of Chile and Argentina along with Labrador Canada, Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, Florida, New England and even the Outer Banks of NC to fish. He also enjoyed bird hunting.  His friends still remind him that he missed the best day of duck hunting on his wedding day!

He also was an avid downhill and cross-country skier. He enjoyed golf, walking, bike riding and traveling with his wife, family, and friends.

Family and friends may attend visiting hours on Thursday, October 19, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Tighe Hamilton Regional Funeral Home, 50 Central Street, Hudson, MA. A Celebration of Gerry’s Life will follow at 12:00 noon.  The family of Gerry Smith invites you to a reception after the celebration of life.  Everyone is welcome to gather at the Hudson Portuguese American Club, 13 Port Street, Hudson, MA, directly after the service. Committal services will be held in Rangeley, ME, at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Gerry may be made to:

The Garrett G. Hollands Memorial Scholarship Fund (UMass Amherst): https://www.geo.umass.edu/alumni-and-memorial-funds-student-research

The Nashua River Watershed Association (NRWA): https://www.nashuariverwatershed.org/