William Alan Gerber

William Alan “Bill” Gerber, 60, First Selectman of Fairfield, died Tuesday, July 15, at Yale New Haven Hospital from complications related to a recently diagnosed brain tumor.

Born in 1964 in Abington, PA, Bill was the youngest child of Lewis and Joyce Gerber. He graduated from Cheltenham High School in 1982 where he was captain of the football team. Bill graduated from Wesleyan University in 1986 where he was an East Asian Studies major, captain of the football team, and member of DKE. He began his business career at Peat Marwick, and simultaneously earned a joint MBA/Master’s Degree in Accounting at NYU. Bill was valued for his financial acumen and fluent Mandarin. His career took him to Shanghai, Hong Kong, London, Taipei, New York, and Hartford.

Through mutual college friends, Bill met the love of his life, Jessica, in 1987. After marrying in 1994, the couple lived overseas, eventually choosing Fairfield as the ideal place to raise their three children – John, Teddy and Gillian. Bill’s love of his adopted hometown grew over the decades, inspiring him to devote his time, talent, and career to public service and charitable work.

After Teddy’s death from cancer in 2010, Bill and Jessica dedicated their energies to fundraising through the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, raising more than $1.6 million for childhood cancer research through their yearly “Team Teddy” event. Living with Teddy’s illness inspired Bill to go back to school for a Master’s in Public Health which he earned in 2019 from George Washington University.

From 2013 to 2023, Bill served as a member of the RTM. His constituents found Bill to be a patient listener and a thoughtful advocate. In 2023, Bill won a hard-fought race to become First Selectman. He loved knocking doors, meeting residents, and hearing their concerns for Fairfield’s future. In less than two years, Bill implemented much needed policies and changes to the town, including making town government more efficient and improving organizational structure; ensuring safer investment strategies to minimize risk; advocating for safe streets; fighting the UI monopole project; and facilitating a proposed Town Charter revision, among other things.

Bill loved being First Selectman. No matter how long or difficult his day, he always maintained it was the best job he ever had. Bill was so dedicated that he worked through what turned out to be symptoms of an aggressive brain tumor, serving the citizens of Fairfield until the day he went to the hospital. Knowing the seriousness of his condition, his doctors were amazed at his strength.

Bill’s untimely passing is an enormous loss to his family, friends and community. He will be remembered for his joyfulness; his brilliant mind and deep curiosity; his commitment to causes; loyalty to loved ones; his selfless service; and his kindness, compassion, and humanity.

Bill is survived by Jessica, his wife of 30 years, his son John and daughter Gillian; his brothers Rich and Andy (Christina), his sister Mimi (Tom), his sister-in-law Leslie Ballantyne, his father-in-law Ed Ballantyne, many nieces, nephews and cousins, and countless friends who are like family. He is predeceased by his father and mother, Lewis and Joyce Gerber, and by his beloved son Teddy.

A celebration of Bill’s life will be held on Friday, July 25, 10:00AM at the Martire Family Arena at Sacred Heart University; burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, his family asks that donations can be made to Team Teddy – OHS.