Gerald Gee entered the Gates of Heaven on July 14, 2026 at the age of 72 peacefully at his home in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Gerald lived a life of quiet depth - a man of faith, learning, and genuine warmth who found meaning in every chapter his life presented him. Born on the last day of 1953 in Bradford, Pennsylvania, he spent the greater part of his life in Columbus, Georgia, a place that shaped him and that he, in turn, shaped through his work, his friendships, and his faith.

Gerald's career path was not a straight line and that was part of what made him remarkable. He graduated from Regent University's seminary in 1991 and spent seven years as a pastor, called to serve and to shepherd. That vocation gave way to a love of language and literature, and he went on to teach English at Georgia Southwestern State University. Ever the learner himself, Gerald later returned to school - this time earning a degree in Computer Science from the University of Columbus, Georgia - and entered a long and fulfilling career with TSYS. Over the years he grew into a trusted Technical Consultant, retiring in 2021 with deep gratitude for a professional life filled with meaningful work and lasting friendships.

In the season of life that followed retirement, Gerald found something he had not expected: a love story. He met Donna Ames, and the two married in September of 2022. Donna was, simply put, the love of his life. A light went on when he met her. He hadn't known what was missing until her love filled that space, and he felt incredibly blessed to have found her in his later years. Together they lived fully and joyfully - buying a boat and spending many happy hours out on the water, taking fishing trips, cruising, and traveling to Las Vegas, Texas, and Gatlinburg. That chapter also opened Gerald's heart to a cherished role: he became "Pops" to Donna's granddaughters, Colette and Maisy Zarracina, embracing them with the full warmth of his heart.

When Gerald's illness came, Donna met it the same way she met everything - with devotion and love. She became his steadfast care advocate, ensuring he received the best possible care while keeping family and love at the center of every day. Her dedication to him was a testament to the extraordinary partnership they shared.

As a father, Gerald treasured the time spent with his son Ian in the ways that fathers and sons often come to treasure most: out on the water fishing, moving quietly through the woods on a hunting trip, walking the fairways together. He also held close the renewed bond with his daughter Katy, marked by visits and shared meals in the Atlanta area - time that reminded him how much love can be rekindled and deepened. His sister Kristine was, in all the best ways, a second mother to him, and his friendship with his brother Greg was one of the deep and abiding joys of his life.

At the heart of everything Gerald was and did stood his Christian faith. He was a man who prayed - not only in church or in private, but openly and willingly, with anyone who needed it. Family, friend, or stranger, Gerald was always ready to take a hand and offer a prayer. His faith was not a compartment of his life; it was the current running through all of it.

Gerald was preceded in death by his parents, Myron Audley Gee and Elizabeth Jane Gee, and by his brother John "Jack" Audley Gee.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Donna Ames Gee; his son, Ian Clemens Gee, and Ian's wife Corrie Rewis; his granddaughters, Samford Kennedy Gee and Sadie Ruth Gee; his daughter, Katy Jo Martie, and her partner Andy; his sister, Kristine Elizabeth Woosley, and her husband Paul; his brother, Gregory Gee, and his wife Linda; his stepchildren, Lindsey Zarracina and her husband Alan, and Matthew Lassiter and his wife Tina; and his step granddaughters, Colette and Maisy Zarracina.

The family will hold a private remembrance. In lieu of a public memorial, Gerald asks that those who loved him honor his memory in the way he lived - with a kind word, a helping hand, or a prayer offered to someone in need. And whenever you want to feel close to him again, he has one more request: put on "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum - and play it loud.