June 30, 1957 — September 13, 2023
Ross A. Geldart, age 66 of Reading, Ma., passed away peacefully under Hospice Care at his Group Home in Reading on September 13, 2023. He was born in Boston on June 30, 1957. He was the eldest son of Ross I.V. Geldart and the late Jean W. (Hudson) of Wakefield, Ma.
Ross was a loving, sweet, gentle man, born with Down’s Syndrome, who was raised in Stoneham by his family until the age of five. They moved to Wakefield in 1962 where Ross spent most of his life. In 1998, Ross, at age 41, for the first time, moved into a group home in Melrose then settled into his last group home dwelling in Reading several years later.
Ross was educated by the Wakefield Public schools until the age of 22, then moved on to EMARC, (currently known as Communitas), Adult Day Program. The First Baptist Church in Wakefield educated him in Sunday School, Baptized him, and he became a member and weekly attender of the church for most of his years. In his youth, he also was a member of the Boy Scouts of America for a couple of years as well as a Special Olympian in Track and Field. Ross loved to bike ride, sometimes as far as neighboring towns on a single ride. He has also enjoyed horseback and elephant rides, motorcycle rides, train rides, canoeing and motorboating, bowling, mini golf, and other various outings with his family and friends, including camping with family and riding with his dad in his father’s airplane, during his youth.
Ross took his greatest pride in his activities with the Stuart Highland Bagpipe Band, in which his father and brother Greg was a member. Ross attended every parade, and Highland Games they competed in. He kept track of their schedule, watched over their equipment when they weren’t playing, went to every band practice, and even celebrated his Birthday yearly with the members of this band every Fourth of July, at his family home in Wakefield. He was often seen recording their music on a tape recorder and playing it back for them with great enthusiasm.
Ross is survived by his loving, devoted father, Ross I.V. Geldart of Wakefield, Ma. His brother, Gregory W. Geldart and his wife Kimberly of Leesburg, Va., and sister, Valerie J. (Geldart) Mahoney and her husband Patrick of Ashburnham, Ma. His nephews and nieces; Colin G. Geldart and his wife Ellie, Grant N. Geldart, James P. Mahoney, Elizabeth K. Mahoney, and Evan J. Mahoney, including his aunts, uncles, cousins, and many friends.
Service Information: There will be a Celebration of Life Service in the Chapel of the Congregational Church on 1 Church St. Wakefield, Ma. on Friday September 22, 2023 at 10 am with an interment to follow at Forest Glade Cemetery on Lowell St. Wakefield, Ma. Arrangements are in the care of the McDonald Funeral Home, Wakefield.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Go Fund Me Building Fund of the First Baptist Church in Wakefield. You can find the link on their website; www.fbcwakefield.org.
