Gerald P. “Jerry” Hart, Deputy Fire Chief, Chief of Operations, Boston Fire Department, Retired, age 96, of Wrentham, formerly of Milford, Braintree, and Charlestown, died peacefully, Tuesday, December 24, 2024 surrounded by his loving family.

Born in Boston, to the late Jeremiah and Lucy C. (Devine) Hart, Jerry was raised and educated in Charlestown, and was a graduate of the Boston High School of Commerce, Class of 1946. He continued his education, taking classes at Bunker Hill Community College in Charlestown.

He lived in Wrentham for the past several months, previously in Milford for five years, Franklin, and earlier in Braintree for over fifty years.

Gerald served as a Private in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1946, and later as a Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force. He was stationed with the Air Force on the Aleutian Islands, Alaska from 1948-1950.

Gerald “Jerry” was proud to have served on the Boston Fire Department for thirty-nine years. He was appointed to the department on January 6, 1954 and retired on November 30, 1993. During his career he served in various stations and apparatus throughout the city, while rising through the ranks to the department’s highest rank of Deputy Fire Chief, Chief of Operations, a position which he held for several years before his mandatory retirement at the age of 65. He was a proud member of Boston Firefighters Union Local 718.

He was devoutly religious and a longtime parishioner of the former Saint Thomas More Parish in Braintree and as a young man, was an active member of Saint Francis de Sales Parish in Charlestown.

Jerry enjoyed travelling with family and friends, including trips to Italy, Medjugorje (Yugoslavia), and a special trip with his brothers, Joe and Johnny, to visit their family’s homeland of Ireland.

He also enjoyed an occasional game of golf, but most of all, Jerry was devoted to his family and his grandchildren and great grandchildren, passionately supporting all of their many activities and accomplishments. He adored his grandchildren and nieces and nephews and spent countless hours with them playing card games and board games, telling stories, taking them for ice cream and other treats and making them feel special and loved.

Beloved husband to the love of his life, the late Barbara M. (Donahue) Hart for over sixty-five years. Barbara and Jerry were married in 1954 at Saint Ann’s Church in Wollaston (Quincy) and lived in Quincy and Hyde Park before moving to Braintree where they raised their seven children.

Devoted father of John G. Hart and his wife Janet of Franklin, Nancy A. DiLeo and her husband Domenick of Franklin, James A. Hart of Canton, Brenda A. Flynn and her husband John Jr. “Jack” of Franklin, Jerome T. Hart, Deputy Fire Chief, Plymouth Fire Dept. and his wife Patti of Plymouth, Jennifer A. Hart of Franklin, and Jeremiah D. Hart, Deputy Fire Chief, Special Operations, Cambridge Fire Dept., and his wife Michelle of Franklin.

Loving grandfather of twenty and great grandfather of three: Timothy G. DiLeo and his wife Lindsay (and son Ultan), of Norwich, CT, Nicholas J. DiLeo and his wife Jessica (and son Isaac and daughter Mari) of Malden, Christopher M. Roy and his wife Sarah Drury of Stoneham, Jonathan B. DiLeo and his fiancée Lyndsie Pulsifer of Malden, Jillian M. DiLeo of East Greenwich, RI, Neal P. Hart and his wife Ellie of Ashland, Cullen J. Moore of Boston, Bryan S. Hart of Brighton, Grady P. Moore of Lakeville, Margaret E. Hart of Plymouth, Andrew D. DiLeo of Franklin, Ian F. Flynn of Franklin, Shaelyn A. Moore of Lakeville, Sean P. Hart of Plymouth, James E. Hart of Franklin, Colman P. Flynn of Franklin, Camille M. Hart of Franklin, Ava K. Hart of Weymouth and Sara A. Hart of Franklin and Kally J. Luciano of Weymouth.

One of four siblings, he was the dear brother of Joseph M. Hart of Braintree and his late wife Janice and predeceased by John F. Hart and Lucille M. Noviello and her late husband Henry “Hank”.

Dear brother-in-law of Patricia “Pat” Duggan and her husband Cornelius “Bud” of Wollaston and predeceased by Thomas C. Donahue, Jr., and John “Jack” Donahue and his late wife Dianne. Jerry is also survived by many nieces, nephews, and their families.

Visiting Hours will be held at the Sweeney Brothers Home for Funerals, 1 Independence Avenue, Quincy, on Friday, January 3, from 4 – 7 p.m. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Divine Mercy Parish in Saint Ann’s Church, 757 Hancock Street, Quincy, on Saturday, January 4, at 10:30 a.m. Interment, with military honors, to follow at Blue Hill Cemetery, Braintree.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Gerald’s memory may be made to the Boston Fire Dept. Relief Fund, 115 Southampton Street, Boston, MA 02118 (www.bfdrelief.org) or the Alzheimer’s Association, 320 Nevada St., Suite 201, Newton, MA 02460 (www.alz.org).