Frederick F. Gerling

Frederick F. Gerling, 79, of Mount Vernon, Ohio went home to be with the Lord and Savior Saturday, December 7, 2024, after a lengthy and brave battle against cancer.
Born on May 17, 1945, to Fred and Alice Gerling, Fred grew up as one of four children on Buckeye Lake, Ohio. He developed a love for water activities early on, excelling at and enjoying water skiing and ice skating during his youth. A standout athlete at Millersport High School, Fred guided his Lakers to an undefeated season as quarterback. Alongside his brother Jeff, Fred also formed a band called The Continentals, which gained success as the house band for a local TV show and toured the region. Fred's natural talent for sales and entrepreneurship led him to a career in the broadcast television equipment industry. In the early 1970s, he worked for Jimmy Rea Electronics, and in the late 1980s, he founded Gerling & Associates, Inc. in Sunbury, Ohio. The company, known for building Broadcast Television Vehicles, became an industry leader under Fred's guidance. With his wife, and eventually three of his children, Fred grew the company into a monumental success. Owning and operating an expansive manufacturing plant of mobile facilities for television production and mobile command centers. Fred often proudly said, "If you're watching sports in the USA, there's a 90% chance we built the truck it's coming from." First and foremost a family man, Fred had his first-born son in 1970. Fred then married BJ (Barron) in 1974, and together they raised three daughters and a son on their beloved farm in Mount Vernon. Fred and BJ spent many years farming their land together. Fred also shared a passion for travel and adventure, particularly enjoying annual skiing trips to the Rocky Mountains with his family. His favorite pastime was often jeeping the treacherous trails of the San Juan Mountains and spending time at the family ranch in the remote mountains above Telluride, Colorado. An experienced pilot, Fred took up flying in the 1970's and continued to fly complex aircraft until the age of 77.
Fred's legacy as a Witness for Christ is perhaps his most cherished accomplishment. He and BJ were dedicated to their faith, leading youth groups throughout their marriage. Above all, Fred's Witness and Testimony for Jesus Christ was the most important part of his life.
Fred is survived by BJ Gerling, of Ridgeway CO; five children: Christopher DeVol of Sunbury, Shannon Gerling of Mount Vernon, Jennifer (Dusty) Fenton of Sunbury, Molly Krownapple of Ouray, CO, and John Paul (Sondra) Gerling of Seattle, WA. He is also survived by his sisters Mary (Robert) Burns of Mulberry, FL, and Christine "Kiki" Heimrich of Columbus, OH, as well as his brother Jeffrey Gerling of Batavia, OH. Fred is also survived by nine grandchildren: Brently, Alexa, Avery, Jacob, Anna, Melena, Denim, Diesel, and Wilder.
A memorial service will be held on January 25, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Snyder Funeral Homes, Lasater Chapel, 11337 Upper Gilchrest Rd., Mount Vernon, OH 43050. Please send any condolence messages to gerlingfamily@gerlinggroup.com
The Snyder Funeral Homes – Lasater Chapel is honored to serve the family of Frederick F. Gerling.