Gerald “Gerry” Stanwood Roberts, 82, of New Canaan passed away peacefully Dec. 28 at Waveny Care Center with his loving family by his side. He was born June 26, 1940, in Middletown to the late Stanwood and Arline Swan Roberts.

Gerry attended Morgan High School in Clinton and then graduated from Babson College in Massachusetts in 1961. He then married the late Patricia Roberts in 1963 and raised two daughters living in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, Lake Forest, Illinois and then New Canaan. Gerry spent his career in the investment banking industry working for Nuveen, Smith Barney, and Boatmen’s Bank. He retired from Worth Capital Resources as executive managing partner.

A special thank you goes out to the staff at Waveny Care Center for their kindness and loving care. While residing there, he held the position of President of Resident Council. He was very active in the community. His non-stop jovial personality kept smiles on faces and laughter in the hallways. He was an enormous advocate for the Waveny community whether it was helping cut the ribbon for the new therapeutic patio to challenging New Canaan High School volunteers to a very aggressive match of Scrabble.

Gerry’s passion for painting came while at Waveny. You could often find him sitting by a big window in the recreation room painting his memories of Stone Harbor, Bermuda, and France. He loved traveling, reading good crime novels, gardening but most of all his family.

He was a devoted father to his two girls and in their eyes, the most wonderful father, tennis opponent, dollhouse constructor, grill chef, sharp dresser, Band-Aid-putter-onner, hamster catcher, sandcastle builder, joke telling, NYC tour guide, prankster, broken heart mender, and dancer in the world. The world is now a little bit duller without him in it.

Gerry is survived by his beloved sister Trudy Getek and husband Kenneth of Middletown; and daughters, Nancy Kelley and her husband, Kevin of Stamford and Susan Heidenrich and her husband David, of San Antonio, Texas; along with five very special granddaughters who were the light of his life.

A private celebration of life will be held in New Canaan next month with a burial this Spring in Clinton. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to Waveny Life Care Network, 3 Farm Road, New Canaan, CT 06840.