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Gordon Gerdt Obituary
Gordon Henry Gerdt
June 10, 1934 - June 24, 2021
Born June 10, 1934, to Henry and Clara (Blume) Gerdt. Promoted to his eternal heavenly home at age 87 on June 24, 2021.
Gordon was raised in Crown Point and graduated from Crown Point High School in 1952. He attended Purdue University on a full scholarship, where he met Gwen Eckland of Chesterton. After graduating from Purdue in the spring of 1956 with a degree in Electrical Engineering, he and Gwen married that fall. Together they raised a family of three daughters and two sons, living in Highland and then Munster beginning in 1969.
Gordon had a successful career at Inland Steel from 1956 – 1985, ultimately retiring as Assistant General Manager of Operations. He earned his MBA from University of Chicago in 1967, and was active in the Association of Iron and Steel Engineers (AISE), serving as its President in 1986.
After his retirement and the high school graduation of their youngest child, Gordon and Gwen moved to a home on Irish Lake in Warsaw, where they have lived since 1990. As snowbirds, they maintained a winter home in Desert Hot Springs, CA for over 20 years.
Gordon was an avid golfer for many years. He enjoyed camping, boating (at various times owned a sailboat "Gigi", a pontoon and a motorboat), attending Purdue football and basketball games, Cubs games, and especially loved any kind of family gathering – whether large or small. He and Gwen were members of Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Palm Springs, CA, and attended boat-in worship services on Lake Wawasee, IN.
Gordon is survived by his wife of 64 years, Gwen; sister Marty of Shawano, WI; daughters: Cheryl Zozaya (Michael) of Laguna Hills, CA, Pamela Stein (Paul) of St. Pete Beach, FL, and Lisa Fankhauser (Jerry) of Gainesville, FL; sons: Steve (Dawn) of San Jose, CA and Kevin (Julie) of Valparaiso; ten grandchildren, four great-grandchildren.
A memorial service to celebrate Gordon's life will take place at 10:00 AM CT on August 6, 2021, at Grace Chapel, 157 Lafayette Street, Valparaiso, IN, with Pastor Kevin Gerdt officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Grace Chapel in Valparaiso.
Dad was much loved by his family and will be dearly missed - we all look forward to that day when we will see him again with Jesus!
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
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