Gerald Gettys Tyrrell

1938 - 2018

Gerald Gettys Tyrrell

Louisville - Gerald Gettys Tyrrell, age 79 - widely regarded by his family and friends as an exceptionally charming gentleman and a true Renaissance man - died peacefully at home on November 13, 2018. He was born in Guangzhou (Canton), China, on December 27, 1938, while his father, Gerald Fraser Tyrrell, served in the British Foreign Service. In 1949, after China's Communist Revolution, the family moved to Louisville, hometown of his mother, Virginia Lee (née Gettys). Because of his birthplace and early upbringing, he was nicknamed "Ching" by his neighborhood friends (including Hunter S. Thompson) while growing up in the Cherokee Triangle. He was a member of the Castlewood Athletic Club and the Athenaeum Literary Association, and he was the salutatorian of his class at Male High School. He also achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, Order of the Arrow, in the Boy Scouts of America.

Gerald graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in history from Yale University and a Master's Degree from The Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Rutgers University. His lifelong financial career included 29 years as an executive at First National Bank of Louisville and a ten-year stint as Chief Financial Consultant at the City of Louisville Office of Downtown Development. Most recently, including the day of his death, he worked as the Chief Financial Officer for New Directions Housing Corporation, a non-profit that develops and maintains affordable housing in Louisville and Southern Indiana.

Gerald served as a Captain in the Kentucky National Guard. He volunteered for many years as Scoutmaster of Boy Scouts - Troop 318 and served on the boards of the Old Kentucky Home Council and the Lincoln Heritage Council. Gerald also served on the boards of numerous civic organizations, including the General George Patton Museum in Fort Knox, the Louisville Orchestra, and the Asia Institute-Crane House. With a deep appreciation of history and genealogy, he served as the Governor General of the General Society of Colonial Wars, initially at the Kentucky chapter and then for the entire national organization. Gerald had many interests, including a love of fine wine. As such, he often served as a wine judge, including for the American Wine Society and the Kentucky State Fair.

Gerald is survived by his wife and love-of-his-life, Elizabeth (a.k.a. Betsy); five children: Amy Teiser Wagner of Louisville, Gerry Tyrrell of Minneapolis, MN, Jane Tyrrell of Prosser, WA, James Teiser of Los Angeles, CA, and Robert Tyrrell of Louisville; three siblings: James Tyrrell of Naples, NY, Tom Tyrrell of Louisville, and Elsie Atherton of Louisville; nine grandchildren and one great-grandson.

Visitation will be held at Pearson Funeral Home, 149 Breckenridge Lane, on Friday, November 30 from 4pm until 7pm. At his bequest, Gerald's body was donated to medical research at the University of Louisville.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Boy Scouts of America, Lincoln Heritage Council (12001 Sycamore Station Place, Louisville, KY 40299), or the Kentucky Chapter of the Society of Colonial Wars (c/o Tom Tyrrell, Treasurer, 2829 Brownsboro Rd, Louisville, KY 40206), or to the charity of your choice.