The Board of Directors of the Albany-Tula Alliance mourns the passing of longtime member and former board chair Gerald (Jerry) Shaye who passed away suddenly on Sunday, August 22, 2021. Jerry served as our organization’s Board Chair for more than a decade, forging dialogue and exchange between people and organizations in Tula, Russia, and the Capital Region.
Jerry traveled to Tula, Russia more than a dozen times, often when relationships between our two nations were strained. His goal was always to grow friendships through people-to-people diplomacy. Following a trip to Tula in 2017, Jerry remarked, “Our friends demonstrated yet again that despite the political differences between our two countries, our bonds of friendship remain strong.”
The Board of Directors extends our heartfelt condolences to Jerry’s family. With Jerry’s legacy in our hearts, we will continue our efforts to strengthen ties between our two cities through citizen diplomacy and action directed at building awareness and education that strengthen the ties that bind.
Sincerely,
Mary Grondahl
Chair, Albany-Tula Alliance
For more thoughts and memories, please read this TU Article and Legacy Obit.
