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Gerald Arthur Richmond, 79, of Wakefield, Rhode Island passed away peacefully at home early in the morning on March 28, 2025.
Gerald was born February 13, 1946 in Woonsocket, Rhode Island to David and Naomi "Norma" (Schwartz) Richmond. He grew up in Franklin, Massachusetts until age 13 then moved to Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Gerald graduated from Pawtucket West High School in 1964. He attended Roger Williams Junior College and University of Rhode Island (class of 1969) where he met his wife of 45 years, Amy L. (Klingensmith).
Gerald had a loving family that he adored. He enjoyed spending time with his wife and their children and grandchildren and was happy to join them for any outing. He was an avid spectator of his grandkids sports and made it to all their local games. As his children and their families moved around the country, he loved to go visit but when a visit wasn't an option, he looked forward to a good video call to laugh and hear about the happenings with his family. He was quirky and had a good sense of humor, always leading to good laughs.
Gerald was a co-founder and co-owner of Diversified Retailers Inc., which encompassed Feet First and Zero Wampum. These retail stores with locations in Wakefield and East Greenwich, Rhode Island, were familiar to, and beloved by, the community for over 40 years.
Gerald enjoyed traveling and collecting art from his travels. Gerald was a music lover and built a diverse collection of albums from many genres. He enjoyed attending concerts and festivals, the Newport Jazz Festival being a favorite. He spent hours reading and learning about automobiles and was a sports car enthusiast. Gerald was a wonderful cook and enjoyed cooking for friends and family. He was an avid skier and made many trips north each winter. He continued to ski well into his 60's.
Gerald supported environmental and community causes and gave generously to many local and world organizations.
Gerald was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother and son. He will be greatly missed by his friends and family. He is survived by his wife Amy (Klingensmith), daughter Melyssa and her husband Lucas Marland and son Davin and his wife Jackalyn. Gerald loved spending time with his grandchildren, Landon and Elijah Marland and Grant and Pilar Richmond. He is also survived by his siblings Linda (Richmond) Blakney and Kenneth "Ken". Gerald is predeceased by both his parents and his in-laws Bert E. and Arline B. (Lippman) Klingensmith.
His family will be hosting a celebration of life later this year for friends and family.
