Westfield-Gerald “Jerry” Nash Sr., 83, (21 July 1935 – 11 March 2019) of Westfield, MA, passed away on Monday evening March 11, 2019, at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, MA surrounded by his loving family. Along with his 10 brothers and 3 sisters, Jerry was born in Brooklyn, New York, on July 21, 1935, to Earnest and Clara (nee Bellman) Nash. He attended Manhattan and Brooklyn Schools graduating from St. Vincent Ferrer in 1955. He proudly served his county in the United States Air Force Reserves for 32 years. Jerry was an active resident of his Westfield community for 48 years. He was a member of the American Legion Post 124, Knights of Columbus, Sons of Erin, and St. Rocco’s Men’s Club. Jerry worked as an Aviation Accident Inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for many years, retiring in 1991. After his retirement from the FAA, Jerry owned and operated a private aviation consulting business providing critical knowledge and assistance to many aviation clients across the country as they navigated the rules and regulations of the FAA. Spending his entire life around airplanes created a passion that he was always ready to share with anyone interested. If you wanted Jerry’s attention, there was only one magic word, “airplane.” He could have an endless conversation with a total stranger over that one word. He earned his private pilot license and Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) certification from the FAA. Over the years Jerry built model airplanes from kits and enjoyed sharing them with his family. Even when his son crashed his prized airplane model into a building in Southwick, Jerry still found joy in sharing his passion. Over the years he earned countless aviation certifications from the FAA and Airforce.
Jerry is predeceased by his parents Earnest and Clara Nash and his son Jerry Nash, Jr. He leaves his wife of 63 years Rose Ann Nash of Westfield, MA, his son Bill Nash of Ashfield, MA, his daughters: Lory Nash of Westfield, MA, Lisa Griffin and her husband Eric of Russell, MA, and Donna Nash of North Port, FL; 7 grandchildren: Eric Willcox III, Jake Spradlin, Cody Kaczmarek, Kevin Kaczmarek, Conner Rose Griffin, Jerri-Marie Griffin, and Erica Willcox, his brothers and sisters, his daughter-in-law Michelle Kaczmarek and her husband Ed of Suffield, CT, along with many other family members and friends. The Nash family will hold a private memorial committal service to honor Jerry’s life and legacy.
A private burial will take place this Spring at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Westfield, MA. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Avalon Life Celebration Center & Cremation Services, LLC 691 College Highway, Southwick, MA In lieu of flowers the Nash family requests memorial donations in Jerry’s memory to be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, D’Amour Center for Cancer Care-Baystate Health Foundation, 280 Chestnut Street, Springfield, MA 01199, or a charity of your choice. To express condolences to the Nash family, share photos, videos, or memories, please visit Jerry’s memorial page tribute wall at www.avaloncelebrations.co
