Herbert "Herb" Gerth

Herbert “Herb” W. Gerth, 87, of Streator passed away at 1:24 PM Friday (February 22, 2019) at Good Samaritan in Pontiac.

A memorial visitation will be held from Noon until 3:00 PM Sunday at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church. In Streator.  Rev. William Callister will officiate.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 3:00 PM Sunday at the church with full military rites by Leslie G. Woods American Legion Post 217 and Streator Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1492.  A reception will be held immediately following military rites at the church.

Inurnment will be in Park Hill Cemetery in Bloomington, IL.

Herb was born on June 19, 1931 in Bloomington, IL to Walter & Elsie (Dambold) Gerth.  He married the former Carol Ann Flachsbart on July 28, 1951 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bloomington, IL.  Herb’s uncle Rev. Herman Hohenstein officiated.  She preceded Herb in death on April 8, 2016.

Herb is survived by 4 sons:  Phillip (Janice) Gerth of Upsala, MN, Pastor James (Karen) Gerth of Hustler, WI, Tim Gerth and Keith (Carole) Gerth of Northbrook; 11 grandchildren; 14 great grandchildren; 2 sisters-in-law:  Dorothy (Delbert) Cortright of St. Petersburg,  FL and Judi Flachsbart of Ogden, Utah.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife and a sister, Eunice Laesch.

He graduated from Bloomington High School in 1949 and earned his Bachelors in Education from I.S.U. and then his Masters in Industrial Technology from I.S.U.

He served in the United States Navy on the Tutuila during the Korean War.

Herb began teaching Industrial Arts at Antioch High School and then taught at Woodland High School and then Streator Township High School for 25 years retiring in 1992.

He was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, The Hardscrabble Lions Club, the Brotherhood of St. Paul’s Church, I.A.E.E.E., the Ransom American Legion, he served as a Boy Scout Leader with Weblos, was on the Green Wing Bible Camp Board, the JETS Club, the teachers Bowling League at Bowl-Mor and did ministry work with the Kogodus Prison Ministry.

Herb loved fishing, camping, playing cards, woodworking, traveling and was an avid St. Louis Cardinals Fan and a fan of the Chicago Bears.

In lieu of flowers, family request memorial be given to Technology Scholarship at Streator High School or Rock of Ages Lighthouse Preservation Society.

Online condolences may be left for the family and his video tribute seen at www.hagifuneralhome.com