William Thomas Gerrard

William Thomas Gerrard of Ft. Lauderdale, FL and Big Sky, MT died on July 23, 2020 at the age of 74. He was born in Queens, NY on Feb 21, 1946 to his parents Ken and Ruth Gerrard and is survived by his children, Lisa Marie Gerrard and Mark Thomas Gerrard; grandchildren, Miles Barrett & Brenden Patrick Radick and Grace Kendal & Jack Thomas Gerrard, and his sister, Darcy Jean Gerrard.

Tom moved to South Florida in 1957 and graduated from Broward Junior College in 1966 with a degree in business administration and continued his education at Florida Atlantic University until 1968. Tom's business career began in 1972 as President of C.M.H. Corp which supplied hi-rise cranes and elevators in S. Florida. In 1979, he segued into the telecommunications industry, owning and operating Air Space Radio Systems and Advanced Radio Communications Services that provided Specialized Mobile Radio services across S. Florida. By the early 1990's, Tom's telecommunication businesses had grown to 11th in the nation in number of subscribers/users. In 1993, his company was recognized as the "Best run specialized mobile radio business in the USA". After chairing multiple telecommunication related councils in Washington, DC, Tom started restoring classic cars and focused on more civic and philanthropic endeavors. In 2003, Tom was chairman of Interlaken, Inc. which specialized in environmental reconstruction and contracted with the South Florida Water Management District to help restore the Florida Everglades ecosystem. In 2008, Tom was appointed Mayor of the Town of Manalapan, FL where he was honored to serve his community. During this time, Tom also served on the Johns Hopkins Medical Board of Trustees and a was member of the Finance and the Facilities Release Estate Development Committees. Tom was proud to serve the Johns Hopkins institution and was a member of the Board of Trustees until he was designated as Trustee Emeritus in 2019. In addition, Tom served on the National Constitution Center Board of Trustees in Philadelphia, PA.

While working tirelessly on his various businesses and personal endeavors, Tom also enjoyed many hobbies and spending time with family and friends. He loved the outdoors, from hiking in Montana to cruising along the eastern seaboard. He was the consummate host, holding numerous charitable events as well as fun social gatherings. Classic cars became a true passion for him, and he acquired an extensive collection of classic American convertible cars from early the 50's to the late 60's. He took great pride in showing his collection at various car shows, related events, and auctions across the U.S., making many friends along the way. Tom was also instrumental in helping grow the library of car related literature for the Antique Automobile Car Association of America. Over the last several years, Tom had been spending time with his family and friends in both FL and MT while traveling to Greece, Australia, Italy, and had plans to visit to Iceland in August.

Tom's passing will be felt deeply by all who knew him, but most by his loved ones who already are missing his loving support, warm smile, and infectious laugh. He will be remembered for his faith, dedication, generosity, and thoughtfulness. His legacy of hard work and philanthropy will undoubtably continue to positively impact the lives and communities that he cared so much for.

An immediate family ceremony was held in Big Sky on Friday, 7/31 where Tom was laid to rest with his Mother, Father, and Grandparents.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to one of the following charities: Eagle Mount of Bozeman, Yellowstone Park Foundation, Big Sky Community Organization, and the AACA Library.

Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service.