Greg Gimblette

After two heroic years my husband lost his battle to cancer. Greg Gimblette passed away on February 17, 2025. There will be no monuments built nor parades given, but if anyone met Greg for the first time, they would always remember him as a personable, kind, unassuming and caring gentleman; always thinking of the wants and needs of others above his own.

Greg loved his Berkshires and indulged in all her beauty and offerings from water skiing, hunting, fishing, downhill skiing to driving up Mt. Greylock many times throughout the year just to take in her beauty.

In his final weeks, Greg enjoyed reminiscing his life growing up in the Berkshires and how fortunate he felt as a kid to have been a part of it. His stories always began at Egremont School with his lifelong buddy, Ray Kushi, and their Illustrious baseball careers -you would have thought they had won the World Series Trophy to hear them tell it. And of course, one cannot forget the candy raids at Jules on Elm St. That passion for confectionaries would follow him throughout his life. He always thought the best day of the year was the day after Easter when all the candy was half price! And the worst day of his young life was when his mother signed him up for ballroom dance lessons at the Wendell Hotel.

Throughout his adolescence, Greg would experience the feeling of parental independence every Thursday night on North St. when school was forgotten and girls were there to be impressed. Another passage of independence was when Greg turned sixteen and took to the roads riding his motorcycle to the Music Inn to teach water skiing. And that winter he took a Greyhound to Mont-Tremblant to take the test for his ski instructor certification. Proudly returning home to become part of the prestigious Bousquet Ski School directed by Court McDermott, who became a mentor and lifelong friend to Greg.

Greg was never much of a golfer, but decided to take turf management at UMass so others could be. That dream was interrupted by a draft notice and Greg was off to see the ocean blue for four years in the navy. He was proud to have served his country and proud to be called a veteran even when our country was at odds over the Vietnam war.

After the navy, Greg returned home with his new bride, Paula Lewis, and together they shared a life time of adventures. They were inseparable throughout their 53 years of marriage. And together they massed an impressive collection of Americana and many adventures along the way. If you couldn't find him traveling the back roads of the Berkshires or walking the fields at Brimfield searching for that next acquisition; you could always find him fly fishing at his beloved Alford Brook Club. The club will always hold a special place in Greg's heart. He loved the peace and tranquility that he found there- besides the strings of trout he caught and the many friendships he made. In-between his adventures and activities Greg found time to work the lot at Johnson Ford for his classmate, Gary Johnson. It speaks volumes of his character when he would receive Christmas gifts from his customers and tenants as Greg so often did.

Greg leaves behind a loving family and many wonderful friends. He will always have a place in their hearts and a story they can tell of this special person they called a friend. There will be a private service held and at a later date there will be a celebration of Greg's life. If you wish to make a donation, Greg was very supportive of Saint Jude Children's Hospital and the Alford Brook Club, both in care of DERY FUNERAL HOME, 54 Bradford Street, Pittsfield.

Godspeed my love