Obituary: Gary Roitman, 1945-2021 

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• Courtesy Photo
• Gary Roitman

Gary Roitman, age 76, passed away on Sunday, November 28, 2021, in Winooski, Vt., due to complications from Parkinson’s disease. He was the son of the late Pearl (Scholnick) and Itzhak Roitman of Montréal, Québec, and brother to the late Anne Feehan (Paul) of Key Biscayne, Fla. Gary is survived by his best friend of 24 years and devoted wife of 18 years, Sadie Khouri-Roitman; his brother Herschel Roitman; brothers-in-law, Paul Feehan, Dr. Rustom Khouri (Mary), Wafic Khouri (Saada) and Mounir Khouri (Karen); and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by Samuel Khouri (Ghada) and Chris Khouri (Diana).

Gary was born in Montréal, Québec. A remarkable and beloved “genius” as a young man, Gary pursued business communications, management and advertising at Concordia University in Montréal, and his personal success was the direct result of his positive, personal relationships with his clients — he earned several awards for excellence in business advertising and leadership; launched numerous new products; wrote company catalogs, business course guides and training brochures; and produced well-praised media kits for use in sales. He was a cofounder of G. Roitman & Associates, along with the Savior Faire Advertising Company, whose approach to brand recognition and sales generated increased revenue for his clients, such as Ford Motors, De Beers Diamonds and Busch Gardens.

Gary loved blackjack (which he mastered), traveling, fine dining, great wine and the New York Times crossword puzzles. Gary was a go-to guy for friends, family and clients at any time of day or night, for any problem or reason — though often cloaked in his dry wit, Gary was a one-of-a-kind listener and always willing to provide heartfelt advice.

Above all, Gary loved his wife, Sadie. They met during one of her visits to Montréal, and he ultimately moved to Vermont, where they were married in 2003. They shared many of their days operating the school she founded in South Burlington, Vt., known as the International Children’s School. For Gary, this was a new adventure that he approached with enthusiasm. The students truly loved him and would seek his wisdom and good nature. Gary was calm, patient and generous to a fault — a lover of kids of all ages, animals and those in need. His kindness and love were evident, and he will be greatly missed.

Visiting hours will be held on Saturday, December 4, 2021, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., at LaVigne Funeral Home (132 Main St., Winooski, VT 05404; 802-655-3480; [email protected]). A Mass of Christian Burial at Saint Michael’s Chapel (810 Campus Rd., Colchester, VT 05439) will follow on December 4, 2021, 11 a.m. A spring burial will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, a gift may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation (Donation Processing, The Michael J. Fox Foundation, P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5014) or the Humane Society of Chittenden County (142 Kindness Ct., South Burlington, VT, 05403). Gary would surely appreciate it if you performed one act of kindness in his name.