Gerard Philippe Gustave Calippe

Gerard Philippe Gustave Calippe- 83 of Mechanicsville, Virginia, passed away peacefully at home surrounded with love on January 10, 2025. He was born on May 2, 1941 in Plombieres Les Bains, Vosges, France to Gustave and Marie-Louise Daval Calippe, one of seven children, including sisters Jacqueline, Eliane, Claudia, Genevieve, and Marie-Louise, and brother Benjamin. Gerard moved to Canada in the early 60’s then later to the United States, living in Los Angeles, CA then San Marcos, TX, where he lived over 40 years before becoming a resident of Hanover County, Virginia in 2021.

He is survived by a daughter, Brigitte Combs, of Mechanicsville, and son-in-law, Steven Combs, grandchildren, Julia Iavarone of Boynton Beach, FL, Patrick Boutelle of TX, Maegan Kiser of Cameron, NC, Alton Rittenour of Richmond, VA, Laura Rittenour of Covington, VA, and Abigail Rittenour of Ashland, VA. There are also numerous other family members strewn across the USA, France, Canada, and the world, including grandchildren, great-grandchildren, step-grand and great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He enjoyed gardening more than anything and loved animals. He lived a fascinating, and at times, challenging life, and those who got to know him sometimes would hear a story of his time as a child during WWII, or the adventures of his early or later life. Sadly, there are some things we never got to learn, but we are grateful for what we did learn, and he was deeply loved.

Cremation is under the direction of Monaghan Funeral Home. There will be a celebration of life at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory are requested to the Hanover Humane Society.

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