On Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020, Jay Gettinger, loving husband, father, grandfather, uncle and friend passed away at the age of 75 at his home in Underhill, Vermont, from an inoperable brain tumor.
Jay was born on Aug. 22, 1945, in Brooklyn to Morris (“Jimmy”) Gettinger and Ethel Cohen. He was a graduate of Erasmus High School in Brooklyn and The City College of New York.
On Sept. 2, 1972, he married Jeannie Kortz.
Jay and Jeannie lived in the Village of Warwick, where they raised their two children: Eliza Kramer, now of Underhill, Vermont, and Aaron Gettinger, now of Simsbury, Connecticut.
Jay was predeceased by his father, Jimmy, and his mother, Ethel.
He is survived by his wife Jeannie, his children, Eliza and Aaron, their respective spouses Mike and Jill, his grandchildren Delilah, Asa and Elise, his brothers and sisters-in-law: Ellen, Lynne, Cathy, Mary, Janet, Beth, Eddie, Mike and their partners; close friends Kathy and Jay, Randy and Roberta, Mark and Noreen and Karen and Kurt; and his beloved Bonsai friends.
Jay loved the Warwick community and gave his time to many organizations including the Warwick Valley Humane Society, the Warwick Farmers Market and the Doc Fry Community Center (now the WVCC). Many might remember Jay walking his big Newfoundland Chumley or as a judge from the apple pie eating contest at Applefest.
Most will remember him best as a friendly face around town.
Jay retired to Vermont after a long career working for the State of New York. Best known as the tall guy with a beard with the Germany hat, he was easy to recognize and could be seen “working the lift line” at Smugglers Notch in the winter and paddling at his island camp in the Adirondacks in the summer.
Jay loved to bake bread and bagels, obsess over his Bonsai, spend time with his grandchildren and travel with his wife to see new places and visit old friends. Jack Daniel’s stock price fell sharply on the news of Jay’s passing as he was also known to enjoy an evening cocktail or two.
Donations can be made to his favorite place in the Adirondacks: The Wild Center in Tupper Lake, N.Y.
When it is safe to gather, a celebration of life will be held at the Emmerich Tree Farm in Warwick.
Arrangements were made by Ready Funeral Home in Burlington, Vermont.
If everyone was as kind and generous as Jay was, it would be a much better world.