Thomas Gerhart

Thomas Gerhart, 64, a former Bismarck resident, died Feb. 28, 2002, in Beaufort, N.C. A memorial service was held at St. Egbert's Catholic Church, Beaufort. His ashes will be scattered in the ocean.

Tom grew up in Bismarck and graduated from Bismarck High School. He left the state for a four-year tour in the U.S. Navy, where he developed his love for the ocean and for sailing. Tom then moved to San Francisco, where he began working for the electric utility PG&E, and where he met his wife, Penni.

They both lived and worked in the bay area until retirement, although Tom, not quite ready for retirement, then formed his own consulting company. His work teaching reliability centered maintenance to the electric utility industry took him all over the United States and to a few foreign countries.

When he finally decided it was time to retire, he and Penni moved to the coastal city of Beaufort to pursue both their love of sailing and of the ocean. In the two years that he was there, Tom made many friends and touched many lives, because that was the type of guy that Tom had always been.

He is survived by his wife, Penni Gerhart, Beaufort; his mother, Anna Gerhart, Bismarck; his brother, Dan Gerhart and his wife Sally, Kona, Hawaii; a niece, Laura Gerhart, northern California; four nephews, Michael Gerhart and his wife Val, Stephen Gerhart and Terry Gerhart, all of northern California, and Tim Gerhart, Bismarck; and a sister-in-law, Patty Gerhart, Bismarck. He also leaves behind his many boyhood friends that remained in North Dakota. Time and distance never severed the bond of friendship.

He was preceded in death by his father, Tony Gerhart; and two brothers, James Gerhart and Billy Gerhart.