Gerard "Gerry" Spanier

Gerard "Gerry" Spanier

Gerard "Gerry" Spanier, age 86, of Linwood, NJ, passed away peacefully on May 29, 2025, after recent illness, surrounded by his loving family. A devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend, and public servant, Gerry leaves behind a legacy of intellectual curiosity, public service, and compassionate leadership.

Born in Brooklyn, NY in 1939, and raised in Manhattan and Mount Vernon, NY, Gerry was a standout student and athlete during his youth. In the early 1950s he took a formative trip, a National Scout Jamboree, which included a visit to the Grand Canyon, and lettered in varsity tennis and baseball. He was also an accomplished photographer and became an enthusiastic collector of Citroën automobiles and an amateur radio operator, nurturing an early passion for communication, design, and technology that would shape his professional life.

Gerry was enrolled in Johns Hopkins University, when he met the love of his life, Judy Levine, in Margate on a blind date arranged by a mutual friend, and they wed in 1960. While earning a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering at Hopkins, he was Editor-in-Chief of The News-Letter, the university's student newspaper. In this role, he engaged closely with then-university-president Milton Eisenhower, led a landmark April Fools' edition that stirred the campus, and documented untold stories about university life, civil rights activism, and hidden chapters in the university's architectural and social history. He also participated in efforts to integrate local Baltimore restaurants, showing an early and lasting commitment to social justice.

Following his graduation in 1961, Gerry and Judy settled in Linwood to grow their family. Gerry began what would become a distinguished 50-year career at the Federal Aviation Administration's National Aviation Facilities Experimental Center (NAFEC) in Atlantic City, later known as the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center. Among the first engineers hired at the newly formed center, he played a pivotal role in its transformation from an experimental facility into a national hub for aviation technology and systems integration.

A pioneer in human factors engineering and aviation systems design, Gerry's work included the invention of a solid-state potentiometer, improvements in air traffic control tower technology, satellite communications, digital voice systems, and collaborations with the U.S. Department of Justice on intellectual property issues. His encyclopedic knowledge of aviation systems and his diplomatic, humble style, grounded in significant hands-on experience, earned him deep respect across the agency.

Gerry's legacy extended far beyond his professional achievements and involvement as an active member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Society for Information Display (SID). He was civically engaged in his local community, serving with distinction on the Mainland Regional High School Board of Education, in a number of leadership roles, including president and longtime board member, at Beth El Synagogue, where he was a devoted congregant for decades, and as a volunteer for the Jewish War Veterans Gar Greenstein Friedenberg Post 39, and for overseeing the International Order of Brith Abraham (I.O.B.A.) section of the Rodef Sholom Cemetery in Egg Harbor Township, NJ.

Above all, Gerry was deeply devoted to his family. He is survived by his beloved wife of nearly 65 years, Judith Levine Spanier; sister Leslie (Mel) Josephs and Bonnie Spanier (Steve Brown); his children Lee (Tammy), Rebecca (Jay) Rosenberg of Linwood, and Jonathan (Jacqueline) of Bala Cynwyd, PA; his cherished grandchildren Michael Spanier and Ariel (Ben) Kahane, Max and Ben Rosenberg, and Noa and Gavi Spanier, and great-grandchildren Kaya, Caper and Quinn Kahane.

Gerry's legacy is one of enduring integrity, thoughtful mentorship, and a passion for history, science and technology, and justice. His wit, warmth, and wisdom will be missed profoundly by all who knew him.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to Beth El Synagogue, 500 North Jerome Avenue, Margate, NJ 08402, reflecting Gerry's lifelong embrace of Gemilut Chasidim – acts of lovingkindness.

J.S. Goldstein Funeral Home & Monuments - Mays Landing

www.JSGFunerals.com