DAN GEREW

Dan was born on September 22, 1957 to Ronald and Marlene. He was raised, with his older sister Karen, in Rochester, NY until the age of 7, when the family moved to Greece, NY. He graduated from Cardinal Mooney High School and went to college at MCC and SUNY Brockport. Dan lived in Greece until the mid-1990’s; then relocated to Fairport, NY, which is where he remained until his passing.

 

In his 20’s, Dan worked at Kodak. He spent most of his shifts working in the dark with film, which made sense, as he was an artist-at-heart. He took many high school and college classes in drawing, painting, advertising design, film, and pottery - he truly had a knack for all things creative. Dan had an appreciation for the quirky and unconventional. His aesthetic was uniquely personal.

 

After his time at Kodak, Dan spent many years managing record stores, where he expanded his already extensive knowledge of music. His niece, Kristen, will never forget her visits to see Dan at Record Town in Greece Ridge, which was always followed by a trip to Cinnabon. Over the years, Dan amassed an epic record collection and went to an enviable number of concerts, ranging from James Taylor to The Rolling Stones; The Smashing Pumpkins to Macy Gray. He was a night owl who loved going to hear musicians and deejays, new and old, at local venues.

 

In addition to being a skilled artist and a music aficionado, Dan had many other talents and interests. He was an animal lover… and an animal whisperer. Dan seemed to have special bonds with every animal that he encountered. If you had a pet in your home, Dan likely became it’s favorite human to turn to for head scritches and treats. Dan was also our go-to for all information about birds - he could identify many of them just by their songs or a quick glimpse at their feathers. He knew exactly what seeds and plants to put in the yard to bring out every manner of bird and wildlife. He was an avid gardener and possessed a green thumb of which his niece was envious. Through the years, he always found comfort and peace working in the yard. Dan also loved to chat on the phone with his good friend Steve, who was like a brother to him. They would often talk on the phone for hours, while Grace laid within Dan’s reach so that she could continue to get belly rubs. 

 

The holidays were always a special time with Dan around. He put a great deal of thought and care into planning Christmas decorations, inside and out, for his family. Every ornament, light, figurine, and bow was arranged to perfection. And while the Christmas decor was always spectacular, Dan’s favorite time of year was Halloween. Every year he would pull decorations from the dozens of storage boxes in the basement to execute his spooky tableau. He loved decorating the house for trick or treaters and truly went the extra mile to make the children in the neighborhood smile. Bringing others joy brought Dan so much happiness. 

 

Dan was especially close to his older sister Karen. She has fond memories of visits to Vic and Irv’s in the summertime where they would both get chocolate milk with their burgers. Family Christmas festivities were a full Hollywood production; filmed by their father on his Kodak movie camera. Whether they were enjoying time in the family pool, celebrating at childhood Halloween parties, or just hanging out after school, Karen and Dan’s special bond was always evident. Dan always found ways to make Karen feel special. As adults, Dan would take her out to a fancy restaurant to celebrate her birthday every year, just the two of them together. 

 

In his later years, Dan dedicated his life to caring for his mother, Marlene, as her health began to decline. He truly went above and beyond for the people in his life. No matter how big or small a task, Dan never hesitated to lend a helping hand whenever he could. Many have shared with us that they remember Dan being a true gentleman with a great sense of humor. We couldn’t agree more. He believed in good manners and chivalry, always.

 

As we all know, life never unfolds in the way that we expect. Dan’s life story is no exception. He had some moments along the way that he didn’t like to talk about. Dan never wanted to be a burden to anyone and kept much of his life very private, especially as he got older. We can imagine him rolling his eyes or groaning at the thought of so many pictures of himself posted on the internet in his memory. But Dan was a bright light in so many lives throughout his 65 years; we had to honor and celebrate him. His life was filled with many meaningful chapters and so many important people. He cherished every friend from his past, even those he lost touch with, more than you could possibly know. We all meant so much to him, as he did to us.

 

Dan’s spirit will no doubt be watching over us now with just as much love and care as he had for us during his life. We will miss him dearly.

 

Donations in Dan’s memory may be made to: 

 

Lollypop Farm, Humane Society of Greater Rochester

P.O. Box 92297

Rochester, NY  14692-0297

 

Or a charity of your choice, perhaps one that supports animals, wildlife, or music and the arts. 

 

A special thank you to the Imaging and ICU teams at Highland Hospital for their compassion and care during Dan’s final days.