Gerald S. Morency Was Veteran, Derby Winner

Gerald S. (Gerry) Morency, 87, of South Dartmouth died Wednesday, Jan. 8, at St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford. He was the husband of Constance Forgue Morency, to whom he had been married for 54 years.

Born in Fall River, a son of the late Francois X. Morency and the late Emma Paré Morency, he spent his early years in Fall River and New Bedford and lived in Fairhaven before settling in South Dartmouth in 1956. He spent summers in the family home in Oak Bluffs.

A U.S. Navy veteran during World War II, he was a recipient of the World War II Victory Medal and the American Campaign Medal.

Before enlisting in the Navy, he worked for Pratt & Whitney as an aircraft mechanic. In 1947, Mr. Morency and his brother Oscar founded the Morency Floor Covering Co. on Purchase street in New Bedford; he retired in 1986.

For many years, he was a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla #1605 in Fairhaven, receiving commendation for assisting mariners in distress. He was treasurer of the Acushnet River Safe Boating Club for 20 years and a former member of the New Bedford Yacht Club. He enjoyed fishing from his boat and won the Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby in 1982 for catching the largest bluefish.

He was a member of St. Mary's Church in Dartmouth.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Morency is survived by a daughter, Susan Morency of Chester, Vt.; a son, Paul Morency, and his wife, Bernadette, of West Falmouth; a sister, Estelle Surprenant of Oak Bluffs; a brother, Oscar F. Morency of Fairhaven and Florida; three grandchildren, Patrick, Jaclyn and Joseph Morency, and several nieces and nephews. He was also the brother of the late Jeanette Dextraze and Paul and Leonard Morency.

A funeral service will be held at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 11, from the Dartmouth Funeral Home of Waring-Sulliven, 230 Russells Mills Road, Dartmouth, followed by a Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. in St. Mary's Church on Dartmouth street in Dartmouth. Interment will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery in New Bedford.