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Gary Widlitz, 85, passed away at home in Guilford on Oct. 7, surrounded by his loving family. Gary is survived by Patricia Widlitz, his beloved wife of 53 years; daughters Michelle Widlitz, her husband Al Sapienza, and granddaughter Alexa; Stacey Widlitz, her husband Roger Thomson, and granddaughter Zara; sisters Cynthia Lehrer (Alvin, deceased), Barbara Dickstein (Myron), and Susan Wasserman (Sheldon); brother-in-law Bruce Phelps (Carol); and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and lifelong friends.

Born in Bridgeport in 1936 to Alexander and Mollie (Black) Widlitz, Gary was predeceased by both parents by the time he turned six years old. Morris Widlitz (Ida) proudly and lovingly raised him as his own. While Gary’s traumatic childhood was something he kept to himself, it was perhaps the very thing that shaped his life; family was everything to him.

Gary had many friends growing up in Bridgeport and entertained us with stories and antics of his boyhood years. He graduated from Bassick High School in 1953 and initially pursued a career in pharmacy. He studied at Columbia University and in 1957 completed his B.S. degree at the New England College of Pharmacy (Northeastern University). After completing his service in the United States Army in 1962, he quickly discovered that he was an entrepreneur at heart and his love of cars would lead him toward a lifelong career in automobiles. When he learned that a Pontiac dealership was for sale in the Town of Westbrook, he became the youngest dealer in the zone and later went on to expand his franchises, including Toyota, Pontiac/Buick, and Ford. As luck would have it, his future bride-to-be would walk into his showroom in 1967 looking for her first car, a used 1964 Pontiac Lemans, and the rest is history. Gary and Pat were married a year later in December 1968. Gary would always tell his daughters, “Everything happens for a reason.”

Gary knew the value of family and prioritized this above all. He was a generous and caring father, husband, and friend. He always encouraged us to pursue our dreams. In spite of his lack of interest in politics, he was Pat’s most exuberant cheerleader as she was elected to Connecticut state representative. He instilled in his daughters the importance of education and was so proud of Michelle when she earned her M.D. and Stacey when she earned her MBA. He was especially happy when our family grew to include sons-in-law Al Sapienza and Roger Thomson and then granddaughters Alexa and Zara.

Gary was not only generous in spirit but also in action. This extended to his family, friends, community, and the multitude of animals he rescued during his 85 years (15 animals to be exact!). Gary was a builder of many things, from his role as a founding member of Temple Beth Tikvah in Madison to building his home in Guilford (where he screened a variety of classic movies for the neighborhood on weekends), to his commercial real estate business, to refurbishing his beloved antique cars. He was an avid reader and movie and World War II history buff, and took his hobbies to another level when he co-piloted a Spitfire plane on his 70th birthday including an upside-down maneuver declaring, “this was one of the best days of my life!”

One of his last projects was to construct a playground at home for his two granddaughters, and he took great joy watching them play and visiting with them until his final days. He will be terribly missed by those who knew and loved him.

The family wishes to express heartfelt thanks to the nurses at Guilford’s VNA Community Healthcare & Hospice for their compassionate care and the amazing nurses at the Guilford Smilow Cancer Center for their care and encouragement during his illness. Special thanks to his longtime friend and physician Dr. Denis Miller.

Memorial contributions in Gary’s honor can be made to Smilow Cancer Center, P.O. Box 1849, New Haven, CT 1849-06508; VNA Community Healthcare & Hospice, 753 Boston Post Road, Guilford, CT 06437; or one’s local animal shelter.

A graveside service led by Rabbi Howard Sommer was held Oct. 8 at the Farband Cemetery in Fairfield. The arrangements were in the care of the Guilford Funeral Home. To share a memory or leave condolences, visit www.Guilfordfuneralhome.com.