Edward M Gerrity III

Edward Michael Gerrity III died peacefully at the age of 81 on February 17, 2025, surrounded by his family. 

He fought a short but fierce battle in the ICU with grace and dignity, all while charming each healthcare professional who attended to him. His hospital time allowed for laughter, love, and heartfelt goodbyes. 

Ed was born in Springfield, IL on November 24, 1943, to Edward and Roseann Gerrity. He was raised on a farm with his sisters - Rosemary, Maureen, and Anne - and spent his high school years in the River Forest area of Chicago and attended Oak Park High School. Ed was an avid ice skater and hockey player and loved to tell stories of playing in factory leagues, skating over frozen rivers, and even being on the ice with Bobby Hull. 

He graduated from St. Louis University in 1965 where he met the love of his life JoeAnn Thatcher at a Valentine’s Day thumb-wrestling tournament. After their wedding in 1968, he proudly became the first “Outlaw” in the ever-expanding Thatcher clan.

Ed began working with Delta Air Lines in 1966. Based in Chicago, his vast sales territory covered the Western US, which in that era of federal regulation was largely unserved by Delta. His job was to call on other airlines and travel industry representatives, and he used his legendary wit and marketing acumen to begin building what would become a remarkable network of friends and industry colleagues. He also discovered the mountains and fell in love with skiing. 

His life changed course forever in 1974 when Delta asked him to lead their bid for a government-controlled route from Atlanta to Denver. He threw himself into the task and secured Delta one of its first long-haul routes to the West. More importantly, he won himself the job to open the Denver office. He packed up his family and never looked back. As John Denver once said, it was like “Coming home to a place he’d never been before” and Ed’s “Rocky Mountain High in Colorado” would last the rest of his life. 

He was the face of Delta Air Lines in Denver for the next 25 years and was a leading figure in the Colorado Tourism Industry. Ed served as Chairman of the Denver Convention and Visitors Bureau and was honored as a Lifetime Board Member. He was also a prominent member of the Colorado chapter of SKAL International promoting global tourism and served as both President and Executive Director.

He raised his children in Denver, teaching them to ski while holding them between his legs or skiing backwards. He held season passes to virtually every ski resort in Colorado and had dear friends in mountain towns across the state. He relished introducing newcomers to the sport and was always ready to give up his own run to coach someone else down the hill.

His other lifelong passion was hockey. Though he grew up watching Blackhawk games from the smoke-filled rafters of their arena, he became a huge Avalanche fan and rarely missed a chance to watch them play. But his deep love for the game went well beyond a single team, and he was happy to enjoy good hockey and great skaters on any night.

He was also the number one fan of every one of his children and grandchildren and lived to make them happy. He was a regular at every after-school event and a fixture on every sideline. 

Ed will be remembered forever for his quick laugh, his groan-inducing Dad jokes, and his gift for making easy conversation with everyone he encountered. His standard sign-off was always “God Bless”, but if you tried to return that phrase to him, he would simply say “He already has”.

Ed is survived by his wife JoeAnn, son Michael, daughter-in-law Katherine, daughter Corrigan (Carlson), son-in-law Bill, daughter Ryan (Andersen) son-in-law-Paul, and his grandchildren Graham, Kate, Noah, Scott, Quinn, Luke and Connor. He is also survived by wonderful siblings, in-laws, outlaws, and treasured nieces and nephews. Ed is preceded in death by his beloved grandson, Owen, his parents, and many dear family members and friends.

A celebration of Ed’s life will be held on Saturday, March 8 at 1pm at Horan & McConaty, 5303 E. County Line Road, Centennial, CO 80112. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Second Wind Fund in memory of Ed’s grandson, Owen.