Kenneth Poe Funeral Services

February 22, 2024

Gerard William Kressner, son of Jean and William Kressner of Brooklyn, New York, passed away on Thursday, February 22, 2024, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Gerard, known as Jerry all his life, was a lifelong proud New Yorker– he hailed from an Irish-American, Catholic family in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn and told legendary tales of pizza slices from Ray’s, the bridges that dominated the skyline at the southern edge of Brooklyn, playing street hockey, and painting the stoop of the family brownstone on 86th Street for some of his first hard-earned money as a working teenager.  Many of these childhood passions carried forward through his whole life– Sundays continued to be pizza days at Brooklyn Pizza Parlor on Colony Road with his wife and children; both he and his two sons found friendship and identity playing hockey, traveling to games, and always, always rooting for the New York Rangers (he claimed every year that “this is the year” for the Stanley Cup– we hope more than anything that in his honor, this truly will be “the year” for our beloved team); and of course, painting became the career that built his dreams for his family.

Early in his childhood, before the pizza and painting would come to fruition, Jerry and his four older sisters faced the unimaginable loss of their parents and were raised in large part by their grandmother, Mary Smith.  Jerry carried the deepest love and admiration for her through his life and felt deeply tied to her unshakeable faith that sustained her and their family through those early years.  This unshakeable faith became his guiding spiritual light: Providence.  And Providence, he always believed, would lead him with grace and love through both the challenges and joys of life.  And thus, with $1650 of hard-earned cash in his pocket and very little else to his name, Jerry, along with his wife Dina, began Providence Paint Company in 1996 in their new hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina.

A whirlwind followed.  Jerry’s tireless commitment to growing the family business seemed electric and unstoppable.  There was ambition and cleverness as well as an incredible knack for people skills– but most importantly, and most abundantly, there was always kindness and always generosity.  As the business grew, so did his three children– James, Faith, and William.  Despite the long hours pouring over hand-scratched notes and blueprints at the office, Jerry was equally tireless in being a present, adoring, and proud father.  He attended hundreds of hours of dance recitals, swim meets, hockey tournaments, band concerts, school musicals, track meets, and comic conventions; not to mention the dozen family vacations to Disney World, topped most recently with his very courageous maiden voyage on the Space Mountain roller coaster! And when work took him afar and he couldn’t be there in person, Jerry would record videos of himself on the family tape recorder telling the Monka-Monka stories that his daughter loved so she could watch them at bedtime.

Meanwhile, Providence Paint Company became a prominent name in the community, taking on larger and larger contracts, and networking throughout the southeast and as far as Texas.  Jerry always told stories with great pride of painting the checkered floor of the Citadel in Charleston, the patented paint-applying invention he came up with in a quick 10-minute burst of inspiration, and the buildings in the Charlotte skyline that he’d personally inspected from swing stages high in the air.  As the business prospered, Jerry always made sure to pay it forward and lead with grace and generosity.  His purpose as a business owner was steadfast: to make the best life he could for his family, and to support the families of others.  He found particular calling in community advocacy for immigrants and providing safe, reliable working opportunities for immigrant employees to support their families.

Later in his life, Jerry found joy in watching his children grow into adulthood.  He helped move his children into their first solo living quarters all over the country (and once, to his delight, into a very small New York City apartment), attended college graduations, a graduate school thesis presentation, and witnessed two of his children begin their own happy marriages.  A constant pleasure for him was listening to his favorite music, the Grateful Dead and Hot Tuna, at top volume.  This was made even better if his wife or children were nearby so he could recount, with encyclopedic knowledge, the history of every track and live concert.  He found a soft spot for caring for the family rabbits and guinea pigs. He delighted in his daughter’s baking.  He went out for bagels every Sunday with his wife and ended every day and family phone call with I love you. 

Jerry is survived by his wife, Dina; children, James and his wife, Alexis, Faith and her husband, Ben, and William; his four sisters, Teresa, Donna, Jeannie, and Elaine.  He is also survived by his Providence Paint Company family and countless loving family members and friends.

A Funeral Mass will be held 2:00 PM on Thursday, February 29, 2024, at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, 6828 Old Reid Road, Charlotte, NC.  The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service and again following the service at the church.

Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth W. Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204; (704) 641-7606. Online condolences may be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.