ST. TAMMANY PARISH, LA. Obituary for: HALLEY, GERALD PRESTON "GARY" Submitted by: Louis Lavedan. Source: Honaker Funeral Home, Sdlidell, La. Died: Friday, October 23, 2015 ======================================================================= Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgenweb.org/volunteers/copyright.shtml ======================================================================= HALLEY, GERALD PRESTON "GARY" April 3, 1938 - October 23, 2015 ========== A photo is available for this file. Please go to http://usgwarchives.net/la/sttammany/obits/dateobits/2015/st1510.htm and click to view list of photos. ========== Slidell has lost its haberdasher. The Halley & Company family, who dressed Slidell’s men and boys for twenty years, has lost its patriarch, Gerald Preston Halley (Gary) after a lengthy illness on October 23, 2015. He was born in Columbus, Ohio to the late Lucille Mildred and Gerald Preston Halley on April 3, 1938, joining older sister Barbara Jean. Having died before Gary was born, father Gerald was replaced by father figure, Henry Halley, grandfather, two beloved uncles, and many men of the small southern Ohio River town Gallipolis, where his family lived. A 1956 graduate of Gallia Academy High School, Gary began his active musical career as trombonist in band and orchestra, vocalist in chorus and glee club, and Thespian of the Year in many high school musical productions. Music was his chosen major at the Ohio State University where he was soloist in the prestigious Symphonic Choir and Men’s Glee Club. It was on a choir tour where he met and later married his wife of 58 years, Jane Zaayer. They were blessed with three daughters: Ann Christian Rider (Ken), the late Julia Dell Halley, and Amy Jay Willis (Gary); four grandchildren: Stephen Batuk (Tisha), Nicholas Rider (Meaghan), Amanda and Jason Willis; and great grandchildren Jackson and Grace Batuk. Sacred music was a major theme throughout his life beginning as heister at his home Church of Christ in Gallipolis. After college, his first association with the United Methodist Church occurred in Dayton, Ohio where he was choir director at St Mark’s. After moving to Slidell, he served as director of music at First United Methodist for 20 years, presenting many major works with orchestra, overseeing the installation of their magnificent pipe organ, and annually singing “O Holy Night” on Christmas Eve. He attended Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology in their Associate of Sacred Music degree program for many summers until attaining his certification in 1975. Slidell’s Cultural Arts Commission appointed him to begin a community chorus which performed “The Messiah” and other works annually for several years. Later, he was Director of Music at Grace Episcopal Church in New Orleans and Christ Episcopal Church in Covington before retiring to help Jane with Christian music at Our Lady of Lourdes and singing in the choir at Christ Episcopal in Slidell. Gary also had a flair for the dramatic. His Slidell Little Theatre experiences included starring roles in several musicals, performing in and directing orchestra for other musicals, and organizing a barbershop quartet, the Leading Men, with John Perkins, Tim O’Neil, and Jay Bruin that performed at theatre and community occasions. Throughout high school and college, Gary earned to pay his expenses by working in various retail and sales jobs where he showed particular talent. After marriage and moving to Dayton, Ohio, he entered management training programs at J.C. Penney and later Federated Department Stores where he began his buying and merchandising career. It was as cosmetics buyer for Federated’s Rike – Kumber Company in Dayton that he interviewed and won the same position at Maison Blanche in New Orleans that brought the family to Slidell in 1969. Years later, he was hired by New Orleans renowned clothier, Perlis Co. Inc., buying for their Lake Forest store until it closed in 1984, at which time the family opened its own business and Halley & Company was born. Gary was invited to join the Slidell Rotary Club, as an upstanding businessman of the community. Having always been very intellectually curious and living a long life led to many hobbies and organizational affiliations over the years. As a young man, he enjoyed tennis and golf. Through an association with an uncle, he became interested in horses and owned Tennessee Walkers, one of which was in training for show. After moving to Slidell with all its water sport opportunities, the family owned everything from a pirogue, old Chris Craft mahogany “Rum Runner,” to a bass boat, and finally a sleek, Norwegian racing sailboat. He became an avid fisherman, particularly largemouth bass, and “Miriam,” his 8 ½ pounder adorns the walls of their vacation home in Ohio. In addition, Gary was an avid fan of the sports teams of the Ohio State University. Go Bucks! Nearing retirement, Gary and Jane tried 3 different motor homes before beginning their long association as Blue Bird bus owners. Gary eventually became national president of the “Vintage Birds” chapter of the Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA). They enjoyed many years of travels all over Canada, Mexico, and the United States and made many wonderful friends. They also enjoyed a “bucket list” trip to the British Isles. After retirement from business, the Ohio vacation home was built to escape the South’s summer heat. Nearly 6 months every year was spent in Gallipolis, Gary’s Ohio hometown on the beautiful Ohio River. While there, Gary spent several years as a member of the Gallia Academy High School Alumni Association Board of Directors. He was elected a lifetime member. He also became interested in Ford Model A cars. He’d always been a closet grease monkey, loving Jaguars, Triumphs, and Mercedes in particular. He renewed old friendships and made many new ones restoring and touring an ever-changing assortment of cars with the Southern A’s Model A Club of which he served as president one year. He continued the hobby when returning to Slidell for the winter with membership in the Baton Rouge, Jackson, Ms., and Mandeville clubs. A Halley family aunt had traced its genealogy from its inception as a French settlement, second in Ohio, in 1790. Gary and Jane retraced that journey, visiting libraries and cemeteries for one summer and were inducted into the Gallia County Genealogical Society’s First Families Club after claiming lineage to the original Ohioans who prepared the settlement for French arrival. In Slidell, a fortuitous move into town from their bayou homestead, led to a property with many camellias and membership in the Ozone Camellia Club and American Camellia Society. After a few years of study and internship, Gary and Jane were both nationally accredited judges of the national society. Their house boasts many trophies and plaques of show-winning flowers and their yard is abloom from December through March. A funeral mass to celebrate Gerald’s life will be held at Christ Episcopal Church, 1534 7th Street, Slidell on Tuesday, October 27, 2015 at 2pm. Visitation will be observed from 12:00P.M. to 2:00P.M. before the service and a reception will immediately follow in the church’s Comfort Hall. Burial will follow in a few days in Ohio. In lieu of flowers, Gary really preferred donations to his alma mater, Gallipolis City Schools Athletic Building Fund, 61 State St., Gallipolis, Ohio 45631. Please designate ATTN: Treasurer. You may, of course, donate to the church or charity of your choice. ===================