Gerald Godfrey

Gerald M. Godfrey, 87, of Seabrook Beach, New Hampshire, formerly of Haverhill, died Monday, March 21, at the Frisbie Memorial Hospital in Rochester, NH, after a lengthy illness.Born in Lawrence, he was the son of the late, Michael and Delia (Fitzgerald) Godfrey. Moving to Haverhill, he attended Haverhill Public Schools and Haverhill Trade School. Leaving Trade School early, he then went to work at the Todd-Bath Shipbuilding Company in South Portland, ME for the next fourteen months and was soon inducted into the US Navy. A WWII Veteran, he proudly served from August 1943 until February 1946 as a Gunner’s Mate Third Class. During his tour of duty, he was assigned to the USS John F. Appleby, and the USS Waxhaus, and received the America Theatre Medal, European-African Middle Eastern Theatre Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Medal, and the WWII Victory Medal.Mr. Godfrey was employed by the City of Haverhill as a member of the Haverhill Fire Department. He served the City for over thirty years retiring in 1981. When he had off time his second career was that of a plumber, although he was handy in multiple trades.He was a member of the George Maxfield VFW Post 1772, Rochester, NH, and Lorraine Post 29, Haverhill, and the Moose Lodge, Palm Beach, FL.Along with his late wife, Helen M. (Goudreault) they spent their retirement years at their second home on Seabrook Beach, New Hampshire, and wintered in, Florida.He leaves his two sons, Dennis P. Godfrey, of Haverhill, Mark P. Godfrey, and his wife, Shelly, of Glenville, NY, two daughters, Susanne J. Uzdavinis, and her husband Thomas M., of Atkinson, NH, and Lisa M. Ball, and her husband, Gregory, of Rochester, NH, ten grandchildren, Amy M. Hamel, and her husband, Paul, Megan Arivella and her husband Todd, Nolan P. Godfrey, Logan Godfrey, Cassandra Ball, Mark G. Godfrey, and his wife Val, Cole Godfrey, Chase Godfrey, Jordyn Godfrey, and Janaye Godfrey, four great-grandchildren, Rebecca and Christina Hamel, and Brogan and Cadence Arivella, three brothers, Edward and his wife Carolyn, of Haverhill, John and his wife Patricia, of Raymond, NH, and Raymond, of Amesbury, a sister, Theresa Wentworth, of Haverhill, and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a brother, William.Friends and family are respectfully invited to call on Thursday, March 24, from 5 until 8 PM, at the Kevin B. Comeau Funeral Home, 486 Main St. (Rte 125) Haverhill. Funeral services will be held on Friday at 9:00 AM from the funeral home, with a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 10:00 AM in All Saints Church, 120 Bellevue Ave., Haverhill. Burial, with Military Honors will follow in St. James Cemetery, Primrose St. Haverhill. Memorial donations may be made in his name to the Haverhill Firefighters Relief Association Treasurer 131 Water St. Haverhill, MA 01830.