Dear Gerard -

As others have so beautifully shared, you were a man full of zest for life - and you had a gift of making others feel special. My memories of you are from our Cappuccino Musical Theatre years, including time spent in hours of rehearsals preparing for a show. Another memory is of our singing around a campfire during a houseboat trip with the group. We laughed a lot. You told me I needed to prepare "a party piece" to sing in gatherings - and we practiced a few! Your joy, enthusiasm, kindness and enjoyment of people, music and celebration will stay in my heart. You were a special guy and touched many. My thoughts are with your family and I know they miss having you in their lives.

Nancy Payeur

Gerard changed the way I looked at my artistic endeavors. He never asked for commissions but thought my own inspired paintings were the best in show. He followed up with me throughout the years giving me motivation and a great sense that my talents were appreciated and that I could actually make a living from painting. I am broken hearted that he is gone now but am sure he lived a great life and I will think of him with gratitude for the rest of my time.

Tom and I had the pleasure of being treated to a wonderful evening at Gerard’s cottage the last time we were on the Island with friends of ours in September of 2019. Gerard, Kathy, Angela and Jim and Marion Clorey were all there and it was such a fun dinner with lots of chatting around the table afterwards. He made us feel so welcome. He was so genuine and happy which are special gifts and he shared them so easily. We will miss him.

We had the pleasure of meeting Gerard through mutual friends Bill and Elspeth Kirk a few short years ago. We all met at Gerard's cottage in Rice Point, PEI in 2018 for an evening of friendship and music with Gerard's family and friends. We would meet again at the cottage in 2019 to once again share good times through music. We are thankful to have spent some time with Gerard in his happy place - the cottage in Rice Point. Our condolences to the family, we are sorry for your loss. We will miss Gerard and the opportunity to share music with him. We're sure the jam has already started on the other side.

Charley and Bonnie Scott

Canoe Cove, PEI

To Gerard, his family was everything and, luckily for us, he treated his friends as if they were family.

Gerard had many talents and one was for writing. Anyone who received a birthday card or thank you appreciated Gerard's lovely prose, full of self-deprecating humour and affection for the reader.

His appreciation for and discernment of art was another gift. People who viewed his 23rd Avenue home, with all its art, were in awe of the homeowner and of his artistic taste. No matter whether it was his 50th piece or the 112th, the art expressed a wonderful view of life and beauty.

Music is the medium in which we met, trying to up our game by taking a night-school course on singing harmony. Gerard's ease of finding the right chord for a song and his prodigious memory to come up with the lyrics confounded us! His love of a party, with music, was contagious.

We will miss you, dear Gerard, and hold your memory in our hearts. Our sincerest condolences to the Curley family and to the many friends of this sweet man.

Bill & Elspeth Kirk

Gerard was a special guy. He was always present to people and helped them have a great day by his presence and smiles. He was bigger than life. A real "largeness" of spirit. My sympathy to the Curley family and to all we Keefes' that will surely miss him. My mom, (Bine Deighan) Keefe, loved Gerard. She so looked forward to seeing him on the Island or when she went out west to visit Michael or Lorna. When mom died he sent a letter to us. I still have it and it speaks so much of him. This is Gerard as he spoke of my mom: " She was funny and seemed to bring the party with her whenever she was around...I always felt she was a women of strength. Her passing must feel like a great void."

We too know of his gifts of music, fun, empowerment, love and so much more. His death is a loss for all of us, especially his family. However, we know his presence continues in all of us as we, for the rest of our lives, bring justice, peace, integrity and respect to all peoples (poor, disenfranchised, refugees, migrants, women, children...) and the earth.

Gerard, we love you and we pray through you, that we all will try to make the earth "heaven" for everyone and "dream dreams and say "why not"???

Love Joanne Keefe/Jacquie Keefe, cssf

Dear Angela, Kathy, Bill, all other members of Gerard’s beloved family and his close knit circle of friends.

It is with sadness that we send our deepest condolences. We had the honour of knowing Gerard in recent years in Canoe Cove, PEI as he built his summer home on the family “compound”. Gerard was always so full of life. His art, his music, his Canoe Cove were all a part of his great ability to pull people in to enjoy his bit of heaven. He was always so happy to be with people. He got such energy from the human experience! Always food, always music and of course a bit of wine complimented every occasion. We send to all of you a loving embrace. We pray that the “Songs of the Angels” are welcoming him home. May he Rest In Peace and light, and may his memory be forever a blessing. Love, Brian and Barry.