, husband of Jean I. Tougas and 47 year resident of Warwick NY, passed away on January 19, 2009, at Schervier Pavilion after a lengthy illness. He was 90 years old. He was born in Excel, Alberta Canada on July 17, 1918 to the late Chrysologue and Elodie Labbee Tougas. He was one of eight children. The family immigrated to the United States seven years later in 1925. Initially living in Fort Kent Maine and then Rhode Island, the family finally settled in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Gerald graduated from Bassick High School in 1938 and developed an interest in aviation. He soloed at Stratford, CT airport in 1940 and after two years as a flight instructor was hired by Colonial Airlines in 1942. During WWII he was assigned to the Army Air Force as Civilian Flight Instructor, a glider tow pilot and eventually as an Air Transport Command co-pilot on scheduled military missions operated by Colonial Airlines. In 1946 he was promoted to Captain and relocated to Long Island, NY where he met and married the former Jean Evans of Sunnyside, Queens in 1952. In 1956, Colonial Airlines merged with Eastern Airlines where he flew as Captain on the DC3, Lockheed Constellation, Lockheed Electra, DC7, DC8 and finally, the Lockheed L1011. They moved to Warwick in 1961. He retired in 1978 after 36 years of accident free flying. His hobbies included gardening, hunting, fishing, golf, photography, metal working, wood working and reading. He was a member of numerous Orange County Sportsman clubs and was a Patron Life member of the National Rifle Association. Although he was born in Canada he was fiercely proud of his American citizenship and never missed an opportunity to exercise his right to vote in both local and national elections.
He was pre-deceased by 3 brothers, Lionel, Emile and Albert and 3 sisters, Gertrude Brudnach, Madeline Place and Cecile Bogdwicz. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Jean Evans Tougas of Warwick, a daughter, Christine Tougas, 2 sons, Paul Tougas of Cocoa Beach, Florida and Timothy Tougas and wife Lisa of Colorado Springs, Colorado, 2 grandchildren, Katherine and Abigail of Colorado Springs, and 1 sister, Jeanette DeNomme of Connecticut.
Memorial visitation will be on Saturday, January 24, 2009 from 2:00- 3:00 pm at Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home,
17 Oakland Avenue, Warwick, NY, followed by a memorial service at 3:00 pm.
Memorial donations may be sent to HOSPICE of Orange & Sullivan Counties, Inc, 800 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, NY 12550.
