Kevin Y. Gebhard

Kevin Young Gebhard, a long-time resident of Rye, N.Y., died Thursday, November 10, 2022 in Staunton, Va. He was 82.
He was born December 8, 1939 in Jamaica, Queens, N.Y., the son of Edward and Jacqueline (Gilbride) Gebhard. Kevin starred in basketball and baseball at Westbury High School on Long Island and won New York Times recognition as a baseball pitcher at The Watkinson School. He went on to pitch for Trinity College in Hartford, Conn. Kevin was a natural athlete who was fit and active his entire life and continued to amaze with his endurance and strength right to the end.
After college, Kevin became the west coast sales manager for Loeb Rhoades in California and remained there for 20 years before returning to New York City in 1983. In more recent years, Kevin was a market strategist for the LCP Group. L.P.
Kevin was creative and inventive. He was an accomplished playwright and producer, author, and actor. His true passion was photography. Many of his photographs graced the cover of The Rye Record. He also helped aspiring local photographers become accomplished ones. He was remarkably authentic and genuine throughout his life, even in his last days.
Kevin was meticulous in his dress and always a gentleman. His intellectual curiosity, engaging personality, and almost rigid daily routines at Starbucks, Poppy's and the Town Dock, made him affectionately well known in Rye, where he lived for 31 years. (His daily routine included 6-mile walks in the Natural Park and Wildlife Sanctuary.) Those traits carried over to the community at Brookdale Staunton where he was loved despite his brief time as a resident. His popularity there grew when the staff of Brookdale showed a movie in which Kevin appeared in 2012. His family will be forever grateful to Brookdale's exceptional staff for their devotion to Kevin.
Kevin is survived by his sister, Cris Sterling of Natural Bridge, Va. and a nephew, Duncan Sterling IV of Charleston, S.C.
A celebration of Kevin's life will be held 3:00 pm December 13 in his sister's home, 2606 Plank Road, Natural Bridge. Following the celebration service, a meal will be enjoyed by those who gather.
Memorials may be directed to the Rockbridge Area Relief Association, 350 Spotswood Dr., Lexington VA 24450 (www.raralex.org).
Bear Funeral Home in Churchville, Va. is serving the family. Condolences may be expressed to the family at bearfuneralhome.com.