We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Gerry Bair, a much respected and highly dedicated volunteer who loved AFS. 

Gerry held more than 10 volunteer leadership positions with AFS-USA in her local community of Lenoir, North Carolina, and throughout the Carolinas. She also served as a Board Member on the AFS-USA Board of Directors. Those that had the honor to know and work with Gerry will always remember her vibrant, welcoming personality and her leadership and dedication to the AFS mission and international education. Gerry was truly one-of-a-kind. 

In addition to her multitude of AFS volunteer roles, she and her family hosted five different year-long exchange students: Philippe Goineau (France), Matthieu Mercier (France), Brit Neltnor (France), Katrin Miletich (Austria), and Lina Jochim (Germany) each spent a year as part of the Bair family in Lenoir and were considered thereafter to be lifelong “Bairs” by Gerry and her family.  

Gerry’s legacy will live on through the countless local and international students, and AFS host families, volunteers, and staff’s lives she impacted throughout her career. 

Contributions made to AFS-USA in her memory will help further the AFS mission of creating a more just and peaceful world. 

You can find Gerry’s obituary here.