Robert B. Gerdts

Robert B. Gerdts, Jr. died October 16, 2003, at the Donnell House. He was born in Pittsburgh on October 29, 1922, the son of Robert B. and Edith Adams Gerdts of Duquesne. He was a graduate of East Washington High School, The Ohio State University, and attended Mercersburg Academy and Washington & Jefferson College. As a Sgt. In WW II, he saw action with the 99th Infantry Division in Belgium and Germany, including the Battle of the Bulge and Remagen. In 1984 he retired as a manager with ABC Liquors of Orlando. Prior to that, he was branch manager with Universal C.I.T. Credit Corp. in Daytona Beach, and was a loan officer with the First Atlantic National Bank and the Ormond Beach First National Bank. At that time, he was a member of the Volusia County Bankers Association, Halifax area Kiwanis Club, Treasurer of the Halifax District Boy Scout Council, and Vestryman of St. James Episcopal Church of Ormond Beach. Mr. Gerdts also served a term as President of the Ohio State Alumni Association for central Florida. He was a Royal Arch Mason, a member of the Elks Lodge #776 in Washington, PA, and a long time volunteer and past President of the Washington Hospital Auxilliary. He is survived by his wife, Mildred Markey Gerdts, a daughter, Julie Gerdts Leahey, three grandchildren, Amber, Justin and Piper Leahey, all of Ormond Beach; two sisters, Ruth Lyon of Melbourne, FL; Evelyn Turner of St. Clairsville, OH; and a brother, William Hayes of Sun Valley, Idaho. He is also survived by three stepsons, Jay, John and Randy Markey. At the request of the deceased, there will be no visitation or service. Cremation will follow. The family requests donations in his memory be made to his beloved Washington Hospital, or to The Donnelll House Hospice Care which provided warm, loving, compassionate care for Bob and his family in his last few days. Condolences may be sent to his wife Mildred Gerdts of 133 Kelley Dr, Washington, PA, and to his daughter, Julie Leahey and family at 59 Putnam Avenue, Ormond Beach, FL 32174.