Gerhard Silberstein

Beloved husband of the late Erna Heymann Silberstein.  Dear father of Janice (David) Rifkin and Jody (Kenneth) Martin.  Loving grandfather of Brandon (Brittany Diedrich) Walden and Stephanie (Daniel) Cantrell.  Cherished great grandfather “Papa” of Noah, Avery and Emmie Cantrell.  Beloved brother of Rita (George) Heymann, Lot (the late Marie) Silberstein and Zilla (the late Ronald) Pohle.  Dear uncle, cousin and friend.

Born in Berlin, Germany in 1934, Gerhard was the eldest of four siblings, all Holocaust survivors. He was one of the earliest to have his Bar Mitzvah in Berlin after World War II, a testament to his resilience and faith. 

In the early 1950s, he emigrated to the United States with his family, where he met the love of his life, Erna, on the family’s first day in St. Louis. Together, they built a beautiful life, blessed with two lovely daughters. He opened a TV and radio repair shop in Wellston, Missouri, and served honorably in the United States Army as an electronic technician in Europe, where he became fluent in two foreign languages. Known for his bright spirit and humor, he always brought joy to those around him. He later worked for the 3M Company as a background music installer and later retired from Potter Electronic Signal Company. In 1999, he lost the love of his life to Cancer. He was comforted by his close family, Clergy, and friends for the remainder of his life.

In his spare time, he was known for his generosity, often fixing bicycles to give to children in need. His legacy of kindness and community service will be remembered by all who knew him. He was also known for his ability to fix or creatively repair most anything. His dedication to service extended to his role as an auxiliary police officer for the University City Police Department for many years.

Gerhard’s one wish after Erna passed was to continue to live in his castle. With help from family, caregivers and the claims conference, it made it possible for him to feel like a king at his passing.

Graveside service Tuesday, October 8, 12:30pm at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery, 650 White Road.  Live stream available by clicking "watch video" below.  Contributions in his memory may be made to the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum, 36 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, MO 63146 or to the charity of your choice.  The family would like to thank Jill and the staff at AW Healthcare for their exceptional kindness and compassion.