Gerald C. King

Gerald was born in Bradley, ME, the second youngest in a blended family that included 12 siblings. His parents were Ellie (Mazerolle) Blanchard Sirois and Louis Sirois, but the couple later changed their sir-name to King. Gerald was baptized at St Ann’s Catholic Church in Bradley, where he served as an altar boy for the Reverend Joel Bouchard, who later arranged for Gerald to attend John Bapst Memorial High School (Bangor, ME). In 1946, just before his high school graduation, Gerald enlisted in the United States Navy where he trained as a Hospital Corpsman, and served in Portland, ME. Upon his discharge he enrolled at the University of Maine-Orono and earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Gerald married Annette Paradis of Old Town, ME, while still a student at UM-O. After Gerald’s graduation they moved to New Haven, CT, where Gerald was employed at the Winchester Division of Olin Corporation. The couple bought a home in Wallingford, where they raised four sons and one daughter (Elizabeth Ann) who died in infancy. Gerald was employed by the Olin Corporation for 35 years and finally headed the demolition program in New Haven, which began in 1979, before retiring in 1983.

Even while living in Connecticut, Maine was always close to Gerald’s heart, and he enjoyed many family vacations on the shore and his annual hunting trip with friends and relatives at Cold Stream Pond. In 1984, Gerald and Annette were overjoyed to return to Maine full time, where they restored an old coastal farmhouse surrounded by over 80 acres of fields and forest. Both said those 30 years spent in Gouldsboro were the most satisfying of their lives. After Annette’s passing in 2012, Gerald moved back to Connecticut and resided at Arbor Rose at Jerome Home in New Britain from 2016 until his death.

Looking back on his own life, Gerald would often cite a long series of lucky breaks that led to consistently fortunate outcomes. But to the large family that he raised and supported, it was this prevailing sense of optimism, cheerfulness, and gratitude—not luck—that shaped his life and ours.

Gerald is survived by three sons, Kenneth J. King and his wife Ninnette (Blomiley) of Otisville, ME, Joel G. King and his wife Patricia (Kane) of Vernon, CT, and Thomas R. King and his wife Elizabeth (Sabino) who live in New Britain. A fourth son, Robert C. King, pre-deceased Gerald in 2021. Gerald leaves a single surviving sister, Norma Jean Cote of Fort Myers, FL, thirteen grandchildren, and five great grandchildren.

The King family wishes to extend their heartfelt thanks to Gerald’s many friends and acquaintances—but especially to the devoted caregivers and support staff at Arbor Rose and Jerome Home—for a lifetime of kindness shown to him and to all of us.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday May 24, 2023 11 AM at St. Jerome Church 1010 Slater Rd. New Britain, CT. 06053. Interment will be Private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Gerald's name may be made to Jerome Home, 975 Corbin Avenue, New Britain, CT. 06052

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