Gerhard “Jerry” Burfeindt passed away on Sunday, August 9, 2020, at Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. with family at his bedside. He was 79 years old.
Jerry was born to Klaus and Maria (Mehrkens) Burfeindt on October 15, 1940, in the Bronx. He graduated from Highland High School in 1958, attended Alfred University, and received his Electrical Technology degree at SUNY Farmingdale.
On September 7, 1962, Jerry married Barbara Jane Terra, also of Highland. In 1964, the couple moved to Long Island and then to Hollywood, Md., where Jerry worked for Grumman Aerospace Corp. Because of his familiarity with the A-6 Intruder Attack Aircraft, Jerry was asked to make the presentation of the guidance system to the Secretary of Defense. Several years later the couple settled in Highland to raise their four children near grandparents. Jerry accepted a position as a computer technician at IBM in Poughkeepsie. He later left IBM to create his own company, Burfeindt Electric, which operated throughout the Mid-Hudson Valley for the last forty years. From 1979, Jerry also operated the Havana discotheque in Wappingers Falls, and Berties Restaurant & Bar in Poughkeepsie until the late 1980s. He was active in the community.
Jerry had “the gift of gab,” which he passed on to his sons. Jerry relished engaging loudly with people and being quietly generous to those in need. He taught the first non-union electrical apprenticeship program in the state. Jerry loved to cook, especially barbecuing for large gatherings of family and friends. He enjoyed, boating, fishing, gardening, and yearly vacations in Montauk with his family and Australian Cattle dogs. Jerry was a loving and devoted brother, husband and father. Jerry loved all the animals that took up residence with the family and usually took his dogs with him everywhere he went.
He was a long-time parishioner of First Evangelical Lutheran Church, Poughkeepsie.
Jerry is survived by sisters, Elsa Murphy and Erika Gaffney of Chapel Hill, NC; sister-in-law, Phyllis Terra Lim of Tucson, AZ; his son, Jeffrey; daughter, Jacqueline Miller of Poughkeepsie, NY; his dog, Bemer; nephews, John T. Gaffney of West Orange, NJ; Karl Murphy, Jr. of Chapel Hill, NC and niece, Deborah Gravinese of Brewster, NY. Jerry was predeceased by his wife, Barbara; his son, Gerhard “Jerry”; and daughter Phyllis Ljuljdjuraj.
This fall, a graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday October 15, 2020 at the Highland Cemetery, Vineyard Ave./Routes 44/55, Highland. A celebration luncheon of Jerry’s life will immediately follow at Rocking Horse Ranch, 600 US-44, Highland. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Dutchess County Animal Rescue & Sanctuary in memory of Jerry.
The Michael Torsone Memorial Funeral Home, Inc, Highland, is entrusted with the arrangements.