A County Kerry native, Gerry had worked as a teacher and school counselor in high schools in Dublin, Ireland and New York for over 30 years. He was an active member of the Teachers' Union in both cities. Gerry was involved in the Kerrymen's Association in NY, serving as president from 1996 and 1998.

He was committed to Call to Action, a progressive group focused on social justice issues in the Catholic church. Gerry was a founding member of HOPe and has served in many leadership roles. His motivation was to help families in need and give back. He was a prolific writer and had published numerous articles. Gerry had visited projects in Peru and Honduras.