Gerald Roush



5/21/10
Gerald Roush

I just received the sad news that Gerald Roush passed away from complications of a stroke he had a few months ago on his way to the Amelia Island Concours. My thoughts go out to his wife Carol and Gerald’s family. We will all miss him very much.

Gerald Roush had been an influence in the Ferrari Community since the 70s and began collecting information on individual Ferraris and how to keep them running. He  co-authored “Ferrari Tuning Tips and Maintenance Techniques” which is found in the collection of nearly anyone who works on their Vintage Ferrari. It’s still a useful reference and is still available in reprint. Mr. Roush also created Ferrari Market Letter, a monthly newsletter that tracks Ferrari sales and happenings. If you’re in the market to buy or sell a Ferrari, it’s a necessary subscription.

I have a lot of respect for the people in the Ferrari Community before this era of Internet communication. Gerald and his peers communicated via telephone and the US Postal Service. Notes on these cars were kept in notebooks and file folders long before computers were widely used. Our ability to collect information and communicate with Ferrari Enthusiasts worldwide is much easier for us today, so the efforts and achievements of Mr. Roush and his compatriots is much more monumental than it may seem. Gerald continued to keep up with technology until the very end with a laptop storing all his years of research.

I met Gerald Roush in Monterey a few years after I bought my 330 America and this website was gaining some notoriety.  I built up enough courage to go up and introduce myself, and thanked him for some information he provided me on my car. He looked at me without much reaction, so I quickly retreated behind the other Ferrari enthusiasts wanting to talk to the elder statesman.

I saw Gerald several times after that first encounter, and I politely introduced myself, until one day, Gerald gruffly said, “I know who you are!” I was shocked and honored that didn’t have to explain to him who I was anymore!

The real breakthrough was when I was invited to a dinner in Pacific Grove during the Monterey weekend of Car Events. The late Len Miller hosted a dinner after the GTE Registry Party at a local restaurant, and the Roush’s were one of the guests. At a table for 14, I found myself seated next to Gerald. Over several glasses of wine and a wonderful dinner we chatted about all things Ferrari, especially his thoughts on Ferrari Classique. By the time the grappa was being poured, Gerald was speaking freely and we were feeling no pain. It was a time I will cherish forever. I’ll miss Gerald dearly.

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