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William A. 'Bill' Gerber Rockford, MI QCWA # 11003 Chapter |10|219| |
Gerber, William Albert William Albert Gerber, age 94, died on August 13, 2015, at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans. William was born June 26, 1921, in Menominee, Michigan; the eldest son of the late Albert F Gerber of Whitewater, Wisconsin and Julia A (Jensen) Gerber of Menominee, Michigan. William had three brothers, the late Donald P Gerber, and identical twins, Albert V and the late Nalbert J Gerber.
William was a 1939 graduate of Menominee High School, Menominee, Michigan. After graduation, William attended a military training program at Houghton, Michigan. William accepted a position with the US Forest Service as a ranger/technician on Isle Royale National Park in 1941, reporting to the island to winter over on December 6, 1941. After returning to the mainland after the winter, William enlisted in the US Army. William served with the Coastal Artillery (Radar Section) in Virginia Beach, Virginia before being transferred to the European Theater, where he served 14 months with General George Patton's 3rd Army.
After the war, William briefly returned to Menominee and enrolled in the Spartan School of Aeronautics, Radio school in Tulsa, Oklahoma, graduating in 1948 with a first class radio telephone license.
It was in Oklahoma where he met his future wife, the late Luella E (Stettnisch) Gerber. Luella, a native of Breckenridge, Oklahoma, graduated from the St. Edwards School of Nursing in Fort Smith, Arkansas. William and Luella were married on November 7, 1948 in Springdale, Arkansas. The newlywed couple returned to Menominee where William found employment with WMAM Marinette as a radio technician.
William was recalled to active duty in support of the Korean Conflict, performing his service at the Theater Radio Relay Facility in Yokohama, Japan. William and Luella had four children: Dwane C, Sheri Kae, Kenn Ray, and Bruce Wayne Gerber.
In 1956, William accepted a position as a Dispatcher with the Michigan State Police and was assigned to Post 75 at Houghton Lake. In 1965, he was transferred to the 6th District Headquarters at Rockford, Michigan. He retired from the Michigan State Police as the 6th District Senior Dispatcher in 1981; and as a Sergeant First Class from the Michigan National Guard-US Army.
William, call sign W8CBH, was a life member of the Amateur Radio Relay League; Quarter Century Wireless Association; Old Old Timers Club; and numerous other amateur radio associations. He held US and international Amateur radio licenses; served as a MARS (Military Affiliated Radio Station) operator; and proctored amateur radio license examinations.
William was a life-long Boy Scout. William was an Eagle Scout and Vigil Honor member of the Order of the Arrow. He served in nearly every capacity in Scouting, including Scoutmaster, Sea Scout Skipper, Unit Commissioner, Troop Committee Member, and Merit Badge counselor. William earned his Wood Badge beads and his third bead. He worked as a camp staff member of Camp Gerber (Twin Lake, Michigan), Gerald R. Ford Council (Grand Rapids, Michigan); Camp Owasippe, (Whitehall, Michigan), Chicago Area Council; and Camp Hiawatha (Chatham, Michigan), and Hiawathaland Council (Marquette, Michigan). His Scouting awards include: Silver Beaver; District Award of Merit; Order of the Axe; Order of the Arrow Founders Award; Scouters Key; Scouters Training Award; Commissioners Arrowhead; and numerous other service awards.
William was a founding member of St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Rockford, Michigan. He was an original member of the Rockford Ambulance service.
William was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Donald and Nalbert, his wife Luella, and daughter Sheri. William is survived by his sons: Dwane of Rockford; Kenn, a US State Department employee; and Bruce of Belmont; grandchildren: Bruce II, Los Angeles, CA; Andrew, Grand Rapids, MI: Kevin, Grand Rapids, MI: Sheri, Sarah, Krystal, and Kenn Gerber, Jr., Beijing, China; brother Albert V Gerber, Stephenson, MI; nieces and nephews: Neil and Brenda Gerber, Gladstone, MI; Marie (Gerber) and Joseph Joran, Apple Valley, MN; Donald J Gerber, Minneapolis, MN; Cindy (Gerber) and Mark Thueringer, Colville, WA; Donald P Jr., and Debra Gerber, Seattle, WA; Juliann C (Gerber) and John Finger, Florida; Nalbert J Jr., and Debra Gerber, Iron Mountain, MI; Robert and Mary Bontekoe, Cheboygan, MI; Mary Bontekoe, Manistique, MI; Ross and Carol Albers, Texas; and Pamela (Stettnisch) Ozment, Ardmore, OK; numerous grand nieces and nephews, friends and colleagues.
There will be a time of visitation from 2:00 until 4:00 p.m. and from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 19, 2015, at Pederson Funeral Home, 127 N. Monroe Street NE, Rockford, MI 49341. The funeral service for William will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 20, 2015 at St. Peter's Lutheran Church, 310 E. Division Street, Rockford, MI 49341. There will be a one hour visitation prior to the service at church. Pastor Terry E. Hoese will be officiating. William will be interred at Rockford Cemetery with his wife and daughter. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Boy Scouts of America-Gerald R. Ford Council or Hiawathaland Council; DAR-Boys and Girls Club, Menominee, MI; Grand Rapids Home for Veterans; or to St. Peter's Lutheran Church. Pederson Funeral Home pedersonfuneralhome.com