Gerard N. Charest

LEWISTON – Gerard N. Charest, 78, of Auburn, died on Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021, following a short illness.

Born in Lewiston, Maine on March 17, 1943, he was the sixth child born to Roland and Juliette (Tanguay) Charest. He married the love of his life, Liane Perron on Oct. 1, 1966, at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul. She died 18 days before him, and since she was his life, when hers was taken, he just wanted to be back with his true love.

A quiet family man who raised his daughters, Melissa and Donna, around a large extended family on Ralph Avenue in Lewiston, Gerard worked at Jones and Vining before retiring.

You knew what season it was based on which sports team Gerard was supporting on TV. His love of the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots, not to mention his expert knowledge, were unsurpassed. He passed on the lessons of sports: loyalty, competition, fair play and trying your best onto his daughters and four grandchildren, whom he loved to be around.

Gerard loved animals and there was almost never a time there weren’t multiple dogs or cats in the house. One of his favorite getaways were summertime trips to Old Orchard Beach, playing in the ocean and eating pizza and pier fries with his family. A lover of TV that challenged his brain from games shows like the Wheel of Fortune and the Price is Right to crime dramas like Criminal Minds and NCIS. Gerard was also naturally gifted when it came to math. He loved helping friends and family complete their income taxes and they were so gracious because he always did a better job than them.

More recently, Gerard took great delight in spending Sundays watching sports with his younger brother, Rene, never forgetting family was the most important thing. No matter his age, he loved sitting outside on a warm, summer day just watching the afternoon thunderstorms roll in after a Red Sox victory.

He is survived and will be dearly missed by his daughters, Donna Clark and her husband Mark and Melissa Shea and her husband Joshua; his grandchildren, Sarah, Katrielle, Jacob and Kaden; many brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Service honoring Gerard’s life will be celebrated on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at 4 p.m., at the Pinette Dillingham & Lynch Funeral Home. A memorial gathering will be held on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, from 2-4 p.m., prior to the service at the Pinette Dillingham & Lynch Funeral Home 305 Alfred A. Plourde Parkway in Lewiston 784-4023. Online condolences and sharing of memories may be expressed at http://www.lynchbrothers.com .