WASHINGTON, DC, August 3, 2009 - Gerald M. "Jerry" Bastarache, 69, a transportation writer and former member of the National Press Club's board of governors, died July 10 at Capital Hospice in Arlington County. He had metastatic melanoma.

Mr. Bastarache, a Falls Church resident, served in a number of writing and communications posts after coming to the District area in 1970. After his retirement in 2001, he worked as a freelance writer for travel and transportation publications. In 2005, he worked with the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project.

From 1994 until his retirement in 2001, Mr. Bastarache served as director of communications and outreach for the Intelligent Transportation Society of America, a local think tank that studies transportation technology.

From 1970 to 1994, he worked for the Highway Users Federation (now the American Highway Users Alliance), an advocacy group founded the year he was hired. He became its director of communications.

Gerald Myers Bastarache, a native of Asheville, N.C., was a 1962 English and creative writing graduate of Western Carolina College (now Western Carolina University) in Cullowhee, N.C., where he edited the college newspaper. He served in the Navy from 1963 to 1970 as a press officer and public information officer. He was discharged as a lieutenant.

He attended St. James Catholic Church in Falls Church. He also served as an officer of elections in the City of Falls Church, volunteering on election days. He enjoyed travel writing, and visited Munich, Shanghai, Buenos Aires, India and other destinations for articles on military history. He had been to every continent except Antarctica.

Survivors include his wife of 44 years, Rosalie Bastarache of Falls Church; two children, Suzanne Bastarache of Kensington and Robert Bastarache of Broken Bow, Okla.; two sisters; and two grandsons.

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