Gerard “Jerry” Borgwardt, 89, passed away peacefully Nov. 20, 2023, after a hard-fought, lengthy illness at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, surrounded by his loving family. He was born April 19, 1934, in Queens, New York, the son of Charles and Irene (Beaumont) Borgwardt.

Following high school, Jerry voluntarily enlisted with the U.S. Army on Nov. 23, 1953, as a medic in the Korean War. He was extremely proud of his service time. After being honorably discharged, he returned to the United States and married his sweetheart and love of his life, Carol Sullivan, and they settled in Old Saybrook. They traveled every chance they got, with the Florida Keys being their favorite snowbird retreat. They would have celebrated 67 years of marriage on Nov. 30. Jerry was a loving man; his family meant everything to him.

He was a friend to everyone, always ready to lend a helping hand, always ready with a joke, and he was a hard fighter. He was extraordinarily optimistic and brimming with positivity, even through surviving cancer and other hard times. He was a spiritual man, and always expressed how grateful he was to see each day. He was infinitely talented, creative, and skilled with his hands. He was a master of all trades, including but not limited to carpentry, electrical work, boat making and repair, and mechanical work; he even built their own house. He worked for Pratt Reed, where he invented several manufacturing innovations to increase productivity. He worked for Dauntless Boatyard, Essex Boat Works, and various other marinas along the Connecticut shoreline. He loved being by the water.

From his childhood, one of his greatest passions was baseball—from sandlot leagues and stickball with other neighborhood kids growing up in Broad Channel, Queens, to playing softball for Pratt Reed’s company team while he was employed there. He loved every aspect of the sport, and he was a Yankees fan through and through.

Jerry had an endless number of stories to go with his many life experiences; though often times he would repeat the same stories, he had a knack for captivating his audience, and the listener couldn’t wait to hear the story again. He was a role model to those who surrounded him, teaching them hard work, positivity, and how to be a kindhearted, loving person.

He was predeceased by his parents as well as his two brothers, Albert and Charles, who both served in World War II. Surviving in addition to his wife Carol (Sullivan) Borgwardt are his daughter Cheryl Rayner and her husband James of Ivoryton; grandson Josh Rayner and his significant other Magda Burek of Deep River; grandson Jason Rayner and his wife Sarah of Chester; his cherished great-grandchildren, Caroline and Brady Rayner, also of Chester; sister Irene Borgwardt of Melbourne, Florida; as well as nieces and other extended family.

A celebration of life will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, at Robinson Wright & Weymer Funeral Home, 34 Main Street, Centerbrook. Those who wish to remember Jerry in a special way may make donations to Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale New Haven Hospital or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.