Charles Roy Gerhardt, 91, of Xenia, passed away on Tuesday, July 19, 2016, at the Greene Oaks Health Center in Xenia.
He was born on Jan. 21, 1925, and was the eldest of 13 children born to Edward and Ethel Gerhardt of Atlanta.
Charles was a veteran of World War II, having served in the Philippines.
After his military service, he and his wife of nearly 70 years, Anna Belle (Sowers) Gerhardt, settled in Xenia and lived most of those years in Xenia and the Cedarville area.
He was retired from WPAFB and was a longtime member of Evangelical United Methodist Church in Xenia. He enjoyed sports and, in his younger years, played softball, bowled and pitched horseshoes.
Most of all, Charles enjoyed being with his family and friends. He was a kind and thoughtful man, a wonderful husband, father and grandfather who will be dearly missed by all who knew him.
In addition to his parents, Charles was preceded in death by a son in law, David Pitzer; brothers, David Gerhardt and Glenn Gerhardt; and sisters, Virginia Van Etten, Opal Hidy and Karen Wolfe.
He is survived by his wife, Anna; sons, Stephen (Phyllis) Gerhardt and Kenneth (Beth) Gerhardt; daughters, Linda (Tim) McCann and Debra Pitzer; grandchildren, Justin Miller, Sarah (Scott) Laubie, Katie (Ralph) Robinson, Kenny (Kelly) Gerhardt, Melissa Gould, Jennifer (Steve) Milligan, Erin McCann, Matthew (Anna) McCann, Shawn (Jessica) Gerhardt, Tara (Kenny) Samuels, Dione Simons and David (Jessica) Pitzer; great-grandchildren, Braden, Parker, Myles, Cooper and Kellan Laubie, Vivian Robinson, Jenna and Charlie Gerhardt, Taylor Gould and Vivian Wolf, Tommy and Charlie Milligan, Arthur and Paul McCann, Jordan and Gavin Gerhardt, Cora Stevens, DeAngelo Samuels, Makaya Simons, Alexis and Lucas Pitzer. He also leaves brothers, Harold, Gerald, and Richard Gerhardt; sisters, Doris Ann Hidy, Marilyn Roberts, Janet Gibson and Gloria Gabriel; plus brothers- and sisters-in-law, many nieces, nephews and friends.
Visitation will be 10 to 11:30 a.m. Friday, July 22, 2016, at Evangelical United Methodist Church, 195 W. Third St., Xenia, with the funeral immediately following at 11:30 a.m. Interment will be at Valley View Memorial Gardens, 170 N. Valley Rd., Xenia.
The family would like to thank the staff at Greene Oaks Health Center for the loving care they gave to Charles these past few years, and to Hospice of Dayton for their care and support.
If desired, memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, P0 Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090-6011, www.alz.org; or Hospice of Dayton, 324 Wilmington Ave., Dayton, OH 45420, www.hospiceofdayton.org; or Senior Resource Connection/Adult Day Services, 222 Salem Ave., Dayton, OH 45406, www.seniorresourceconnection.com.
McColaugh Funeral Home, Xenia is serving the family. Online condolences can be made at www.mccolaughfuneralhome.com.
This article originally appeared on The Pickaway News Journal
