Gerald Anthony Cicero, 74, was radio reader for the blind
Jerry Cicero had a pleasing singing and acting voice that he put to use in high school and various productions in his native Chicago.
In Atlanta, he used that talent to serve the blind and visually impaired. The financial expert heard a radio advertisement with the nonprofit Georgia Radio Reading Service asking for volunteers to read to the community it serves, and Mr. Cicero signed up.
Once a week, he read The Atlanta Journal-Constitution live on the air with a partner.
"Jerry's tone and the pace of his voice was very personable, and he had a listenable voice," said Bettye Harris, the nonprofit's director of volunteer services. "He was able to convince listeners he was interested [in the subject matter]."
On a few occasions, he was asked to tone down his delivery, said Susan Cicero, his wife of 30 years.
"He was a staunch Republican and was chastised for changing his voice while reading," she said jokingly. "He wasn't supposed to do that, and a couple of times he had to be told not to."
When he was 50, Gerald "Jerry" Anthony Cicero underwent heart surgery and in 2009 was diagnosed with multiple myeloma cancer. The Dunwoody man died Jan. 5 from complications of both illnesses at St. Joseph's Hospital. He was 74.
A memorial service will be held at noon on Monday at All Saints Catholic Church in Dunwoody. H.M. Patterson & Son, Oglethorpe Hill chapel, is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Cicero grew up in Chicago, where he graduated from St. Ignatius College Prep. He earned a bachelor's degree in history from Ohio's John Carroll University, served in the Army and made a career in finance.
In the 1970s, he moved to Atlanta to join the firm of Johnson, Lane, Space and Smith Co., and worked there for years. When he retired in 2000, he became an independent agent for Lion's Share Financial.
After heart surgery, Mr. Cicero became involved with a cardiac therapy group at St. Joseph's. He was inspired to become a reader when Dick Hillman, a close friend in Bethesda, Md., went blind.
"I've known him since 1965, and he was a terrific personality, quick, witty and knowledgeable about sports, movies and etc.," Mr. Hillman said. "We could talk on the phone for a half hour."
For 10 years each Friday, Mr. Cicero read the newspaper on air.
"The AJC is the only thing we read live, and the people he read with would tell you to the person what a joy it was to read with Jerry," Mrs. Harris said. "He had a sense of humor and was a funny guy, but you knew he cared about everyone."
"His voice was deep, but it had a melody to it like a tenor singer," Mrs. Cicero said. "It was an instrument for him."
Additional survivors include daughters Kimberly Kolodziejski of Monte Nido, Calif., and Kellie Acosta of Sandy Springs; a sister, Audrey Kasparek of Huntington Beach, Calif., and five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
