Everett Gager, artist, package designer

Everett Gager of Stony Hill Road, an artist and graphic designer whose packaging art included such familiar products as Goldfish snack crackers, died Saturday, March 3, in Danbury Hospital. He was the husband of Virginia Gager.
Mr. Gager was born in Bishop’s Falls, Newfoundland, the son of Arthur and Ethel Gager. Although his mother was a native of Newfoundland, his parents lived in Waterville, Maine, and were in Bishop’s Falls on vacation when their son was born.
Mr. Gager grew up in Waterville and graduated from from the Cambridge (Mass.) School of Design and the University of Pennsylvania.
During World War II, he served with the U.S. Air Force in the Pacific Theater, and had been stationed at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines.
Early in his career, Mr. Gager worked for the telephone company in Waterville and as a division manager for the Van Dyck Corporation, a packaging and graphics design firm in Westport. In 1963, the year he moved to Ridgefield, he went to work for Pepperidge Farm in Norwalk, where he was responsible for many of the company’s packaging designs — perhaps the most famous of which was his box for Goldfish, the popular cracker product.
He retired from Pepperidge Farm in 1987, but continued to work as a freelance graphics design artist, specializing in logos. Many of the designs he created for corporations are still in use today.
Mr. Gage was also an accomplished artist. Working in oils and using knives instead of brushes, he painted landscapes and family scenes. He exhibited at local galleries and shows over the years, and belonged to several associations of artists.
He also enjoyed golf and fishing, especially the latter. He fished many rivers of Connecticut but particularly favored those in northern Maine.
Besides his wife, Mr. Gager is survived by two sons, David Gager of Glastonbury and Jim Gager of Southbury; a sister, Phyllis Taylor of Waterville; and two grandchildren.
A memorial service will take place Monday, March 12, at 11:30 a.m. at the First Congregational Church.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, 372 Danbury Road, Wilton CT 06897.
The Bouton Funeral Home in Georgetown is in charge of arrangements.