Born in Ridgewood, Queens, New York, first-born son of Gerhard Schade Sr. and Louise Grass Schade, both recent transplants from Germany. German was spoken in the home during his childhood. Gerhard grew up in Concord, NH, where his father taught at St. Paul's School. He attended local public schools through the 7th grade, then transferred to St. Paul's, which in those days was a boys-only boarding school. Faculty boy children were given a free ride. His favorite sports at school were ice hockey and rowing crew.
Gerhard went on to Harvard, majoring in the physical sciences on a Navy ROTC scholarship. After graduation in 1956 and commissioning as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy, Gerhard served three years in Pacific waters aboard the USS Thomaston, LSD 28. Gerhard met and fell in love with Edith Harrison Royce of Milton Academy and Millis, MA. Gerhard and Edith ("Duffy") were married on June 27, 1958, and eventually had two boys, Eric and Nicholas ("Nick").
After the Navy, Gerhard and Duffy returned to New England, where he went to work at Aetna Life Insurance Company in the Group Health Insurance Division. During the Aetna years and thereafter, Gerhard and Duffy made their home in Glastonbury, CT, in the Eastern Highlands near Kongscut Mountain, where they had a small farm with donkeys and goats. He worked 32 years in various positions at Aetna and advanced to the rank of Assistant Vice President. He took great pride in being a member of the team that helped Aetna become an industry leader in the health benefits field.
Gerhard regarded his early years of retirement, when he was still in excellent health, as the best years of his life. For the first time in his life, he was his own boss. Gerhard was an amateur naturalist and trail builder. His love of nature began early when, as a child, he enjoyed playing in the woods among the wreckage of the 1938 hurricane. In second grade, he built a shortcut route to school through the woods, thereby cutting the distance in half. Pursuant to these interests, in retirement, he volunteered with the CT Forest & Park Association in hiking trail maintenance. He was responsible for about 15 miles of trail in Gay City State Park and the Birch Mountain section of Glastonbury. He was active with the Kongscut Land Trust and served many years as its president. He developed and maintained hiking trails on Town of Glastonbury-owned property in coordination with the town's Parks and Recreation Department. He planned and led organized hikes. Later, he took up bicycling. He organized the Easy Riders Bicycling group and planned and led an easy ride once a week somewhere in Glastonbury or nearby, weather permitting. Gerhard served a dozen years on the Glastonbury Conservation Commission and the Great Pond Stewardship Committee. He actively supported the effort to make Glastonbury a pedestrian and bike-friendly community. As a volunteer coach, he helped Jeff and Dale Carstens start the rowing program at Glastonbury High School.
Gerhard and Duffy own a summer place on the shore of Frenchman's Bay in Maine and spent July and August there for many years, beginning about 1990. They loved the hiking, canoeing, and kayaking joined by their sons, friends, and other family members. The Schade sons have something of a reputation in the kayaking world, especially designing, building, and paddling wooden sea kayaks.
In 2018, Gerhard and Duffy moved to StoneRidge, in Mystic, CT. As a member of the Grounds and Garden's Committee, Gerhard's interests included the trees on campus and fighting invasive plants. He advocated for climate action at StoneRidge.
Gerhard was very worried about the future of our country with the reelection of Donald Trump. He was also worried about the welfare of humanity and other life-forms in the long-term future due to climate change. Having grown up in the Great Depression, Duffy and Gerhard have always been very thrifty in preparation for the next rainy day. Gerhard was beginning to understand that he was unlikely to experience another rainy day, financially speaking, in his lifetime.
Gerhard is survived by Duffy, Eric, and his wife Sue Levine of Phippsburg, ME, their sons Andrew Schade of Saco, ME, and Ben Schade of Phippsburg, ME, Nick and his wife Robin Mullaney Schade of Groton, CT. Gerhard has two surviving sisters: Inge Eddy of Concord, NH, and Lucy Jackson of Stephentown, NY. He is predeceased by his brother Richard Schade of Cincinnati, OH.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be sent to Kongscut Land Trust, PO Box 1231, Glastonbury, CT 06033-6231
Gerhard went on to Harvard, majoring in the physical sciences on a Navy ROTC scholarship. After graduation in 1956 and commissioning as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy, Gerhard served three years in Pacific waters aboard the USS Thomaston, LSD 28. Gerhard met and fell in love with Edith Harrison Royce of Milton Academy and Millis, MA. Gerhard and Edith ("Duffy") were married on June 27, 1958, and eventually had two boys, Eric and Nicholas ("Nick").
After the Navy, Gerhard and Duffy returned to New England, where he went to work at Aetna Life Insurance Company in the Group Health Insurance Division. During the Aetna years and thereafter, Gerhard and Duffy made their home in Glastonbury, CT, in the Eastern Highlands near Kongscut Mountain, where they had a small farm with donkeys and goats. He worked 32 years in various positions at Aetna and advanced to the rank of Assistant Vice President. He took great pride in being a member of the team that helped Aetna become an industry leader in the health benefits field.
Gerhard regarded his early years of retirement, when he was still in excellent health, as the best years of his life. For the first time in his life, he was his own boss. Gerhard was an amateur naturalist and trail builder. His love of nature began early when, as a child, he enjoyed playing in the woods among the wreckage of the 1938 hurricane. In second grade, he built a shortcut route to school through the woods, thereby cutting the distance in half. Pursuant to these interests, in retirement, he volunteered with the CT Forest & Park Association in hiking trail maintenance. He was responsible for about 15 miles of trail in Gay City State Park and the Birch Mountain section of Glastonbury. He was active with the Kongscut Land Trust and served many years as its president. He developed and maintained hiking trails on Town of Glastonbury-owned property in coordination with the town's Parks and Recreation Department. He planned and led organized hikes. Later, he took up bicycling. He organized the Easy Riders Bicycling group and planned and led an easy ride once a week somewhere in Glastonbury or nearby, weather permitting. Gerhard served a dozen years on the Glastonbury Conservation Commission and the Great Pond Stewardship Committee. He actively supported the effort to make Glastonbury a pedestrian and bike-friendly community. As a volunteer coach, he helped Jeff and Dale Carstens start the rowing program at Glastonbury High School.
Gerhard and Duffy own a summer place on the shore of Frenchman's Bay in Maine and spent July and August there for many years, beginning about 1990. They loved the hiking, canoeing, and kayaking joined by their sons, friends, and other family members. The Schade sons have something of a reputation in the kayaking world, especially designing, building, and paddling wooden sea kayaks.
In 2018, Gerhard and Duffy moved to StoneRidge, in Mystic, CT. As a member of the Grounds and Garden's Committee, Gerhard's interests included the trees on campus and fighting invasive plants. He advocated for climate action at StoneRidge.
Gerhard was very worried about the future of our country with the reelection of Donald Trump. He was also worried about the welfare of humanity and other life-forms in the long-term future due to climate change. Having grown up in the Great Depression, Duffy and Gerhard have always been very thrifty in preparation for the next rainy day. Gerhard was beginning to understand that he was unlikely to experience another rainy day, financially speaking, in his lifetime.
Gerhard is survived by Duffy, Eric, and his wife Sue Levine of Phippsburg, ME, their sons Andrew Schade of Saco, ME, and Ben Schade of Phippsburg, ME, Nick and his wife Robin Mullaney Schade of Groton, CT. Gerhard has two surviving sisters: Inge Eddy of Concord, NH, and Lucy Jackson of Stephentown, NY. He is predeceased by his brother Richard Schade of Cincinnati, OH.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be sent to Kongscut Land Trust, PO Box 1231, Glastonbury, CT 06033-6231
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Gerhard Rudolf Schade, please visit our flower store.
Gerhard Rudolf Schade's Guestbook
Visits: 302
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors