Robert Gern Nagler

1932 - 2020

Robert Gern Nagler returned home in his sleep April 9th, 2020, after a brief illness at his home in Palm Desert, CA. Born in Marysville, CA, in 1932, Gern was raised on a ranch in Arboga.

Attending Mary Covillaud Elementary School in Marysville, he met his first wife and the mother of his children, Diana Mae Swift in the sixth grade, and announced that day to his mother, Elise, that she would be his wife.

The couple attended Marysville High School (class of 1949) where Gern became a standout on the football field, and an all-league selection his junior and senior years. Last August, he was inducted into the Marysville High School Hall of Fame.

Gern attended The University of Santa Clara (class of 1953) where he continued his stellar play on the gridiron, majoring in history. He was inducted into the Santa Clara Sports Hall of Fame in 1987.

Drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953, Mr. Nagler was traded to the Colts, then waived, then signed off the waiver wire by the Chicago Cardinals, all before the season began. That year in Chicago, he broke the Cardinals team record for receptions with 43.

Gern spent the 1954 season in Fort Sill, OK, coaching the assortment of Heisman Trophy winners and All-NFL players that the Army had assembled there to keep them out of the Korean War. Needless to say, they went undefeated, often in hilarious fashion, and won the all-services championship at the Poinsettia Bowl.

Returning to the Cardinals in 1955, Gern reclaimed his position as one of the premier blocking and receiving ends in the league for the next 4 seasons, earning an All-Pro First Team selection and a Pro Bowl Bid in 1958.

Gern played the 1959 season with Pittsburgh and spent 1960 and 1961, his last two seasons in the league, back with the Browns, blocking for the great Jim Brown and catching 36 Milt Plum passes in 1960 and 19 in 1961.

Returning to the Yuba-Sutter area year-round, Gern moved the family into the large ranch house and almond orchards on South Butte Road in Sutter that would be the family home for the next 15 years. He worked with his friend and agricultural innovator, Bob Hanke, while becoming a successful farmer, growing almonds on the ranch in Sutter, in the 115-acre orchard he planted in South Butte, and later, tomatoes in Meridian.

In 1971, he hung up his boots and overalls and took a plant supervisor position with the Harter Packing Co. of Yuba City, where he spent his days working alongside his longtime friend Norm Piner.

Gern and Diana divorced in 1975, and in 1976, he married Barbara Bertolini and moved to Hillsboro, Oregon, where he took a position as Vice President of Haley Foods and grew Christmas trees on the hillside below the beautiful, natural wood house he built for Barbara, until her death in 1995.

In 1998, Gern married Jan Anacker. During their life together they had a home on the Oregon Coast where they enjoyed hiking, crabbing and fishing. They shared a mutual love of fly fishing in Belize, New Zealand, and their favorite, the Big Horn River in Central Montana.

Jan's background in the travel business inspired the couple to visit many exotic places, Africa being Gern's favorite. They shared time between Oregon and Palm Desert, CA, where they enjoyed building friendships and playing golf together. Gern spent his quiet times finding his love for painting. His passion for life, love and laughter will be missed by all.

Mr. Nagler is survived by his wife, Janet; three children, two step-children, and seven grandchildren.

Services are pending.
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