Gerald J "Jerry" Garhart

Gerald J. Garhart, 85, of Sharon, PA, passed away on May 28, 2024, at Clepper Manor.
He was born in Sharon, PA on April 5, 1939 to Gerald B Garhart and Anne R (Houston) Garhart.
Jerry was a U.S. Navy veteran who served from 1959 to 1963. Jerry studied Electronics and Electricity at the Navy's E&E "P" School and then served on the ship USS Arnold J Isbell, a destroyer, supporting the Pacific Fleet. After the Navy, Jerry worked for 19 years as a steelworker at the Malleable in Sharon and 20 years at Astro Shapes in Struthers, OH.
Though a lifelong bachelor, Jerry was devoted to his family, helping his parents with electrical work around their house and
being present for his mother in her later years so that she was able to live at home several years longer than she might otherwise have been able to.
Jerry was closest to his younger brother Bill, who passed away in 2010. Jerry entertained his five nephews with magic and card tricks when they were very young;
he took them fishing when they were older, and opened his door for them to stay after they grew up. Jerry's house had more stuff that belonged to relatives than he had of his own. Jerry would often joke, "Who God didn't give sons, the Devil gave nephews."
Jerry had several interests and hobbies that he pursued over the years. When he worked at the Malleable, he would make small sculptures of sand and wood, figures influenced by the Polynesian art he had seen in the Pacific while he served in the Navy. Jerry had a strong interest in photography and took thousands of pictures back when cameras used film and photographs had to be developed. When Jerry was younger, he was passionate about fishing, amassing a huge collection of rods, reels, and lures that he would take out to local lakes and rivers in the Shenango Valley.
Before Jerry retired, he would often be the first person to own the latest technology or high-end electronic gadget.
Jerry owned a personal computer back when most people's idea of a computer was something that was the size of half a city block and only used by IBM or NASA.
In later years, Jerry explored his family genealogy, discovering several branches of long lost relatives.
Also, Jerry developed a love for cooking, learning to cook several styles of cuisine and everything from entrees to desserts. Jerry had a personal collection of hundreds of his own recipes. The one passion that Jerry had his entire life was for music. Jerry was an avid jazz and classical music lover and, over the years, collected hundreds of records, 8-track cassettes, cassette tapes, and CD's. In recent years, Jerry would say that he liked to listen to Jazz in the morning to help him get his blood moving and classical music at night to help him sleep.
Jerry is survived by: Four Nephews; Sean Kushner of Springfield, VA, Jason Kushner of Greenville, PA, Mike Garhart, Wes Garhart; Sister, Caolinn McNamara of Fairfax, VA.
Jerry was preceded in death by: Father, Gerald B (Anne) Garhart; Mother, Anne R Garhart; Nephew, Pat Garhart;
Messages of sympathy, stories and photos can be shared on Gerald's memorial page, at: www.flynnfuneralhome.com.