Page created by: Jerry Neumann

Gerard A. Neumann, Jr., known as Jerry (or Butch to his family), of New York City and Buck Hill Falls, Pennsylvania, passed away on April 5, 2025. Jerry was a devoted husband, brother, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He was 83 years old.

Jerry was born in Queens Village, New York to Gerard and Alice Neumann on July 28, 1941, one of eight children. He grew up in Laurelton, Queens and Great Neck, NY, attending Holy Cross High School in Flushing. He met his wife Susan on the beach in Quogue, NY when they were 17 years old. They dated through college and married in 1964. After graduating from Notre Dame University in 1963, Jerry attended the US Navy Deep Sea Diving School and joined the United States Navy as a member of the Naval Construction Battalions, the Seabees, serving as an officer until 1967.

After the Navy, Jerry joined the New York City-based heavy marine construction firm Spearin, Preston & Burrows. His first project was as an Assistant Superintendent for a cable laying project at Cook Inlet in Anchorage, Alaska. He also managed the construction of innumerable marine projects along the East Coast including Pier 40, the Water Club and the River Cafe, Battery Park Ferry Terminal, and the Wall Street heliport (the heliport is founded on a barge, and as part of the final negotiations with the Port Authority Jerry insisted it retain its name—The Alice G. Neumann—in perpetuity to honor his Mother.)

Spearin, Preston & Burrows was founded by his grandfather, and it gave him great pride to manage and grow the family business alongside his brother George, expanding its marine focus to also include sewer rehabilitation by betting on a new, unproven technology called Insituform. Jerry became President and CEO at the age of 38, eventually retiring in 2007. After a short stint in retirement, he was summoned back to work by the General Constructors Association to lead labor relations. He worked briefly for Peter Kiewit before retiring again in 2016.

Jerry is a past President of the General Contractors Association of New York City and The Moles, both leading heavy construction organizations in New York. He was also a member of the Hudson Yards Task Force and was a member of the Executive Committee of the New York Building Congress. As part of his lifelong involvement with the General Contractors Association he negotiated dozens of union contracts and helped mediate disputes. Uniquely, in this type of role, Jerry was beloved by the unions for his fairness, honesty and humanity. Jerry was also a trustee of the College of New Rochelle and served two terms on the board of the Buck Hill Falls Company, was a member of Lot & Cot, served on the Architecture and Review Committee, and was involved in countless other projects to improve Buck Hill Falls.

Jerry loved Buck Hill Falls, spending his free time with multiple generations of children and grandchildren that came to summer with him. He was an avid gardener and cook. He spent ten weekends in the summer of 2005 attempting to make the perfect roast chicken.

Jerry is survived by his wife of 61 years, Susan; his three children and their partners, Susan & John Lawler, Jerry Neumann & Noelle Thurlow, and Matthew & Maureen Neumann; eleven grandchildren; three grandchildren-in-law; and his great-grandson.