By Shari Young | December 2024
Our featured members, Carol and John Gerard, met while working at Hughes Aircraft Company and have been married for 42 years—a remarkable milestone! Carol grew up in the Midwest and moved to Los Angeles to pursue her Master’s degree in Biology. John’s family moved frequently, living in West Virginia, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania. He remains an avid fan of the Steelers and Celtics to this day.
While attending Northern Arizona University, John ran track and played semi-pro football at the age of 18 or 19. He also participated in creating a homecoming float with the theme “It’s a Small World.” Reflecting on the experience, John said, “No one could agree on an idea. So, being 1973, I suggested designing a lunar rover on the moon looking back at a suspended Earth. I built the rover with chicken wire, tissue paper, and chairs. For the lunar surface, we used rocks and dirt from Flagstaff, Arizona. For Earth, more chicken wire and tissue paper in various colors. We called it ‘It’s a Small Moon.’ We won the Grand Prize—some trophy. I would have preferred beer.” John later earned an Engineering degree and a Master’s in Safety Management. After graduation, he worked for an explosives company, where he spent time blowing up mountains in West Virginia and Ohio.
At Hughes Aircraft, where John worked for 27 years and Carol for 20 years, Carol advanced into management positions, while John focused on Safety & Launch Operations. Hughes eventually became Boeing Corporation, and sixteen years ago the couple decided to relocate to South Lake Tahoe, drawn by their love for skiing, hiking, and sailing, as well as the changing seasons. In 2014, they joined the South Lake Tahoe Yacht Club to build social connections. By the end of that year, Carol was appointed Membership Chairperson.
In 2015, Carol became Vice Commodore and received the “Yachtsman of the Year” award, which later inspired the club’s “Special Member Recognition” award. In 2019, she was honored with the Ruby Award from Soroptimist International of South Lake Tahoe for her exceptional volunteer work. Carol also volunteers with Bread & Broth, where she has served as Executive Director for the past seven years.
Their passion for boating and sailing has deep roots in John’s family. His father, a Merchant Marine, sailed a three-mast schooner. John himself sailed catamarans but humorously notes that he was “always Gilligan, never the Skipper.” The couple once owned a 26-foot MacGregor Slug Boat Day Cruiser. Their younger son, Jeff, an Eagle Scout, taught sailing to Boy Scouts and now lives in Southern California. Their older son, John, resides locally and has a background in movie and stage productions.
Today, Carol enjoys skiing, hiking, and paddleboarding, while John serves as the President of Sons in Retirement and enjoys cooking. (Author’s note: I wrote down the word “vodka” but don’t remember if John said he enjoys drinking it, using it in his cooking, or both.) The couple recently traveled to Greece, where Carol was spotted performing a traditional Greek dance on a tabletop. Photos or, better yet, video evidence of this lively moment are still being sought!
Looking ahead, Carol and John plan to continue traveling but remain active members of the yacht club. Carol describes the club’s members as “really nice, wonderful people” and she is looking forward to a lot more interactive social events like the luau-themed event coordinated by incoming Vice Commodore Ashley Farr!
