Gerard Anthony Dowd

Gerard A. "Jerry" Dowd, age 60, of Duluth, GA, passed away suddenly on August 6, 2012 during a fly-fishing trip to Alaska. Jerry was born in Philadelphia, PA and received his education at Villanova University, graduating in 1973 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Jerry spent the next four decades making a name for himself in the food industry with protein giants like Swift and Company, Tyson and ConAgra. He built a reputation as a personable, but hard-driving businessman who established ambitious goals and set about reaching them by showing up early and expecting excellence. At the time of his death, Jerry was applying his passion to grow the business at Trident Seafoods Corporation, based in Seattle, WA. Jerry joined Trident in 2004 as an advisor to top management and was appointed President of Trident's Domestic Operations in August of 2006. His leadership, determination and knowledge of the food industry were inspirational to all who worked with him in and outside of the company, and most recently he focused his efforts to expand Trident's global presence in the promising new markets of China. When Jerry was involved with business, he was all business. When he was with his family, he was a true family man, devoted to his "bride" Patricia, his wife of 38 years, his son Sean, his daughter Meghan Shubert Roger and two granddaughters Mary Anne and Patricia Mae Shubert. He was proud of his Gaelic heritage and looked nothing short of dashing in his kilt and dinner jacket at his 60th birthday party held in Georgia in early November of 2011. Of his favorite activities outside of his professional life, golf was his game of choice and he rose to the challenge of the links, whether they were the blustery banks of Scotland or the well-groomed fairways of Atlanta. Though his final mission in business was to process and market billions of pounds of seafood, his joy was to coax a single salmon to a fly, give it a tussle in a fast-moving stream and turn it loose with the bears looking on in disbelief. He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Margaret Dowd. In addition to his immediate family, he is survived by his sisters Margaret Anne Parr David of Southlake, TX; Mary V. Pollock Sheldon L. of Cheshire, CT; Kathleen M. Bernau Edwin Jr. of Centennial, CO; brother Thomas F. Dowd Donna of Blue Bell, PA and many nieces and nephews. Mr. Dowd's family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made in memory of Gerard A. Dowd '73 VSB, to Villanova School of Business, in care of Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA 19085. A Funeral Mass will be held Saturday, August 11, 2012 at 12:30 pm. at The Catholic Church of Saint Monica, in Duluth, with interment to follow at Arlington Memorial Park, located at 201 Mount Vernon Highway Northwest, Sandy Springs, GA. The family will receive friends on Friday, August 10 from 2 pm. until 4 pm. and also from 6 pm. until 8 pm. at Wages and Sons Gwinnett Chapel, 1031 Lawrenceville Hwy, Lawrenceville, GA, 770-277-4550. Online condolences may be expressed at www.wagesandsons.com.