Gerald P. Kalanges

Gerald P. Kalanges, 92, passed away on Monday, Jan. 11, 2021, at the VA Medical Center in White River Junction, Vt., after a brief illness. He was born July 16, 1928, in Springfield, Vt., the son of Charles and Mary (Paquin) Kalanges. He attended Perkinsville Schools.
Prior to entering the service, he worked at the Perkinsville and Springfield telephone and electric companies as an electrical lineman. Then he served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War era from 1950-1952 as an electrical lineman. He served in the Army Reserve from 1952-1957 and was honorably discharged with the rank of master sergeant.
Gerald was employed for 37 years in assembly at the Jones & Lamson Machine Tool Company in Springfield, from 1956-1993. He was a member of American Legion Post 100 in Montpelier, Vt.
He was married from 1956-1987 to Marilyn E. (Martin) Kalanges (divorced), where he lived in Woodstock, Vt., and then moved back to Perkinsville until his death.
He is survived by Deborah L. Kalanges, daughter, Woodstock; Dawna L. (Kalanges) Renshaw, daughter; Sean Renshaw, son-in-law; Gabrielle Renshaw, granddaughter, all of Naperville, Ill. Also, Andrew Curtis Cook, nephew, of Perkinsville; Andrea (Cook) Bushaw, niece, of Amsden; and April (Cook) Todt, niece, of North Springfield.
Previously deceased are Mary (Paquin) Colston, mother; Ralph F. Colston, stepfather; Charles Costas Kalanges, biological father; Marjorie (Kalanges) Cook, sister; and Andrew Clarence Cook, brother-in-law.
He enjoyed reading books on anything having to do with the Civil War, restoring old John Deere tractors, coin collecting, always kept all his small engine mowers serviced and took excellent care of his tools. He loved to mow his own lawn and did that through the summer of 2020. He really enjoyed the biannual J&L get-togethers with all the surviving retired employees of his tenure at J&L. He loved his neighbors who lived on his street and always tried to help out in any way he could if needed. His neighbors were like family to him, as he lived alone in the house his mother and stepfather had previously owned on Maple Street.