On Friday at Sacred Heart University, local, state, and federal authorities honored the life and legacy of former Fairfield First Selectman Bill Gerber.
His family, including his wife, Jessica Gerber, claimed that Gerber loved life, despite the fact that many people praised him as a devoted public servant.
After winning a beer drinking contest, Bill called me in Shanghai and proposed to me over the phone in New York, Gerber recounted.
According to Gerber, she forced her future husband to pop the question the next morning, and she accepted.
After receiving a brain tumor diagnosis in late June, Gerber resigned as First Selectman. After complications from brain surgery, he passed away on July 15 at the age of 60.
Jessica, Gerber’s widow, and other members of his family showed up at the arena. She and her kids would claim that his passing had left a huge void in their lives. After having a heart-to-heart with her during his adolescence, her husband, who was referred to in his obituary as the love of her life and who assisted in raising their two children into adulthood, is no longer able to say the words her son John heard him say.
According to John Gerber, “I’m getting on to you about this because I freaking love you.”
At least 1,000 people attended the occasion, and those who are grieving say that the turnout is evidence of Gerber’s popularity and, more significantly, his basic moral character.
Despite having a prosperous financial career and traveling the world with his family, Gerber decided to settle in Fairfield. Gerber campaigned to raise funds and awareness for childhood cancer after the death of his 9-year-old son Teddy in 2010. He was going to go back to school and earn a master’s degree in public health.
In a time when so many people feel compelled to embrace cartoonish machismo, John Gerber claimed that his father showed a different kind of strength after enduring loneliness following a disagreement with friends.
According to John Gerber, “my dad was there for me.” We would attend dinners. Every Friday or Saturday night, we went to see a movie, which did cause some embarrassing situations. It took three hours to watch Wolf of Wall Street.
One encounter, according to Jessica Gerber, would persuade anyone to vote for her husband because he was her best friend and built so many contacts during his lifetime.
She wanted people to honor her spouse by doing the things he enjoyed.
Jessica Gerber advised listening intently, concentrating on the other person, and remembering to say “I love you” when speaking with someone.
When her late husband campaigned for office in 2023, Jessica Gerber was still incensed by what she described as nasty and unjustified assaults, despite the fact that many people loved and cared for him. However, she claimed that he never lost his sincerity or was cynical. She urged others to emulate him.
Gerber advised being a good friend, making new acquaintances, pushing yourself, and not taking oneself too seriously.
Christine Vitale, the acting first selectman, has promised to keep up her efforts on Gerber’s projects and objectives. Vitale, Gerber’s 2023 running partner, Since her own future as first selectman is still up in the air, she stated that she will carry on Gerber’s agenda for the time being. According to the town charter, the Board of Selectmen has 30 days to appoint a replacement for the first selectman in the event that the seat becomes vacant.
Vitale, a Democrat, put herself forward to succeed Gerber. The replacement is required under the charter to belong to the same political party as their predecessor. Gerber was a Democrat as well.
When Gerber was elected in 2023, he defeated Republican Brenda Kupchick, the Fairfield Selectwoman. According to a board meeting last week, Kupchick refused to proceed with the nomination process until she had resolved personal issues. She didn’t mention any substitutes for Vitale.
I’m still a kind of a transient figure here because we’re still in a holding pattern, possibly until I’m formally appointed, Vitale stated.
