Gerald "Jerry" Edgar Kahn

Gerald Edgar Kahn, Jr., 81, passed away on Saturday morning, October 22, 2022, at home surrounded by the people who adored him most - his loving and caring wife, Amy Barattini and his two daughters, Alyce Gonzalez (Marcel) and Jennifer Ackerman (Philip).

Jerry and Amy were married in 1965, and recently celebrated 57 years of marriage. They were blessed with four grandchildren: Madeline Hoisington (Nicholas), Alex Gonzalez, Benjamin Ackerman and Thomas Ackerman, and two great-grandchildren, Lucas Hoisington and Graham Hoisington who was born just hours after his passing.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Gerald Edgar Kahn, Sr. and Marion Rossi Kahn and two sisters, Lyn Catalanotto and L’Ann Ammon.

Born in New Orleans on November 29, 1940, Jerry attended St. Aloysius High School and the University of New Orleans. He began his career at Travelers Insurance Company, relocating to Hartford, Connecticut. He eventually returned to New Orleans (the city he loved) and purchased Aicklen Auto Supply which he operated until he retired in 2003.

Jerry had many interests. He was an avid reader with an extensive book collection. He loved music and listening to his 45s and LPs, and going to movies, even though “they don’t make them like they used to”.

Mostly, Jerry loved spending time with his friends and family, telling his favorite stories and jokes over breakfast, lunch and dinner, always from the best seat in the house. He was an exceptionally proud grandfather, cheering his grandchildren in sports, recitals and plays. More recently, he enjoyed traveling with his wife and friends and served as an usher at St. Philip Neri Parish, savoring every moment.

He will be dearly missed.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Memorial Mass at 12:00 p.m. at St Philip Neri Catholic Church, 6500 Kawanee Ave. in Metairie, LA on Wednesday, November 2, 2022. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. Interment in Metairie Cemetery will be private.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.LeitzEaganFuneralHome.com for the family.

The Eulogy

Thank you all for coming out today, not just to support my mother, my sister, and myself; but to honor the life of a many that was dearly loved. At some point during his hospice journey I remember looking at him thinking all we have left are our memories of him, with him. And what great memories they are.

So many words come to mind when I think of my dad.

Particular- he was so particular about so many things. The way he looked. He liked his colorful shirts and stylish shoes. He liked to wear polo shirts, jackets, even pajamas. He was particular about the cologne he wore. I used to love to hug him because then I would smell like him. He was particular about the way his house looked and opinionated about how to decorate his house. Even at the end as he was going through his hospice journey, I remember him calling me over and barely able to whisper, He said do me a favor. Of course I was ready to do anything for him. He says, tell Ben and Thomas to lay a blanket on the white couch so it doesnt get dirty. He was particular about the way my sister and I dressed when we were little. I remember once he wanted us to have these Dr scholl wooden flip flops. He spent like a week trying to find them. Shopping during his lunch break until he found them. He was particular about his records, organizing them in alphabetical order.

Grandfather I remember being at a funeral once and my dad was walking around showing everyone pictures of his grandchildren. I told him he had to stop because it is a funeral and anyway everyone thinks their grandkids are cute. He looked at me with complete shock and said CUTER THAN THIS pointing to the pictures. I was like yes Dad as surprising as that is.

And those grandchildren…O how he loved them. Madeline was of course the first and everything that goes with that. I remember, when she was first born, he would just show up at my house after work to just hold her. He loved to watch her dance at her recital and buy her expensive barbies. After she had been an architecture student for 2 years he asked her, CAN YOU REALLY BUILD A HOUSE? His relationship with Alex was so incredibly special. My dad never had a son. So when Alex was born I was like what do we do with a boy. And my dad showed up at the hospital with a little football and little baseball mitt and baseball. I knew we would be ok. He spent so much time with Alex taking him to Baskin Robbins for dollar scoop Tuesday which costs my dad about 8 dollars. They spent time at the East Jefferson football games. Alex one time had a barnes and noble gift card that had $20 on it. My dad bought it from him only to find out there was only $6.98 on it. My dad never made him pay him back though Alex may have wished he did because he teased him all the time about it. When Alex graduated from college and moved to Dallas he was so proud of him. He thought it was such a good experience for him but I know he missed him so much. And teasing was my dad’s favorite pastime. He teased my nephews so much. One year for valentine’s day Ben opened his gift only to find a shirt. I think Ben thought he was teasing once again but quickly found out no thats the gift. So threw his hands up and said but I didnt want a shirt. He used to always tell Ben and Thomas as they walked into a room CAREFUL THERES A BIG DOG IN THERE and they would jump back so quickly and my dad would laugh. But one time Thomas got him back. As my dad walked into a room Thomas said Watch out Opie, there's a big dog in there. This time the joke was on my Dad. And of course he laughed harder than they did at the joke. When Thomas was little he played hockey. He put the hockey pants on and said do these pants make my butt look big. Of course my sister and her husband did not encourage it but my dad egged it on constantly.

Complicated let’s just leave it there

Stubborn- when he started to lose his hearing he refused to do anything about it. I remember one time we were talking and my dad, not hearing correctly, said WHO HAS A MUSTACHE? Well of course we didn’t let that go.

Impatient My mom and dad were polar opposites on this. My mom had so much patience and dad had ZERO. One time he was at the doctor waiting in the waiting room and he went to the counter several times. Finally they took him back and was told the dr would be right with him. Well 30 minutes later he could not take it anymore. He walked out of the exam room to the nurses station and if there's not a doctor in that room in 5 minutes there is going to be hell to pay.

Witty right up to the end. The priest came to give last rights and my dad said Father I would really like second to last rights.

Private He was incredibly private. He didn’t share a lot about himself. Instead he chose to keep things to himself. Sharing his feelings did not easy to my dad. But you always knew with him that he loved you.

Intelligent My dad could talk on any subject whether it be sports, politics, books, current events, anything. He would come to parades with newspapers, or magazines and read until the parade got there. My sister, during his weeks, would sit with him. His bed was right in front of the book shelf. My sister would read the name of a book and he gave her the author of the book.

But the word that I most associate with my dad is proud. He was proud of so many things. Proud of his wife who took unbelievably good care of him. Proud of her ability to make friends, of her energetic personality, and he

loved to brag on her as a teacher. He was proud of my sister and I. Moving my sister to NY at 23. He bought her a TV and had to carry it through the streets of NY and on the subway to get it into her apt. Jennifer said she remembered my dad signing over travelers Checks (see a man with a handkerchief uses travelers checks) for her down payment on her apartment. He was proud of his son in laws and the lives we created for ourselves. He was a proud father walking his daughters down the aisle when they got married. I remember such a special moment, when my dad and I got in the limousine he had a box for me. In it was my something new. These earrings I am wearing today. He was such a proud grandfather attending every recital, sports event, and play they were in. He was proud of his son in laws and his grandson in law and most recently so proud to be a great grandfather. He was so proud of the love we had for him.

We like to think we were his only loves in life but we know we had competition because he had other loves in life. He loved his books, magazines, CDs and records. All displayed in his house in perfect order and condition. In his last 3 houses he had special shelves built into his house to perfectly display books, cds, and records. I remember, for his 79th birthday we gave him a record player so he could play all his favorites. I remember it brought tears of absolute joy as he picked certain records to play. Of course he knew where every record was because they were all alphabetized. And there were just as many boxed up in storage as there were displayed. Up to about a month before he died he had my mother take him to Barnes and Noble because he liked to see what was new in books. He loved his movies, old movies, new movies, it did not matter. He always knew what was coming out and the reviews for each one. He loved watching football games. Not that he was loyal to any team but you could count on a football game being on Saturday and Sunday in his house. He loved telling jokes. It was always the same jokes. His favorite was that was the second worst movie I have ever seen. And you always had to ask what was the worst because his answer was I HAVE NOT FOUND IT YET. He also loved the one if Adam Levine was singing in my living room I’d go into the kitchen. And of course he loved looking at flamboyantly dressed people saying they were dressed like a stolen car. We can’t forget about his love for FOX NEWS. and the louder the volume was turned up the better the show was. But perhaps the greatest competition for his love, which luckily we were sometimes able to be part of, was his love to go out to breakfast, lunch and dinner. And actually had groups for each meal and loved those experiences so dearly and they meant so much to him. My dad was so particular about every aspect of the dining experience. He had to sit in a certain spot, let's call it the best seat in the house. Of course everyone gave into him-knowing that he had to have the seat facing out to the restaurant. He was particular about his food being the right temperature. One time he told the waitress his soup was too cold. She warmed it up and brought it back to him. He said now its too hot. The waitress realizing he was a little difficult said well do you want me to blow on it? The students I taught sent over several gift certificates for us to have dinner at several different restaurants. When he saw that I think he was determined not to go until we used every single card. He would wake up and wanted to know what gift card were we using today.

I am confident my dad has found his favorite restaurant in heaven and is currently having lunch with the Queen and Loretta Lyn in the best seat in the house.

Grief never ends, it changes.

It’s a passage, not a place to stay.

It is not a sign of weakness nor a lack of faith.

Grief is the price we pay for love.