Frank F. Gerads

1934 - 2025

Frank F. Gerads, 90, of St. Francis, passed away surrounded by his family Aug. 4, 2025, at his home in St. Francis.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held Aug. 12 at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in St. Francis with the Rev. Jimmy Joseph officiating. Interment was in the parish cemetery.
Frank Gerads was born Oct. 19, 1934, in Freeport, Minnesota, to Charles and Loretta (Harren) Gerads. He was united in marriage to Doreen Douvier Sept. 29, 1959, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in St. Francis. Frank worked for the Stearns County Highway Department in Albany before working as a mechanic for Kramer and Soltis in Holdingford. Frank and Doreen purchased a farm near St. Francis and farmed for many years. He did heavy equipment construction, was a mechanic and an operator for his brother, Norbert Gerads, and later for his nephew, Dave Gerads. He enjoyed operating equipment so much that he purchased his own equipment so he could "play" in the dirt.
Frank was a member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.
He enjoyed playing cards, especially with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, tinkering in his shop and fixing and building things. He would only buy something if he could not make it.
Survivors include his wife, Doreen Gerads, of St. Francis; sons Michael "Mike" Gerads of St. Francis, Tom (Jeanette) Gerads of Freeport and Jerry (Julie) Gerads of Melrose; 14 grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren; sisters and brothers Magdalen "Toots" Schwanke of St. Cloud, Loretta (Herbert) Thull of Melrose, Jake (Judy) Gerads of Freeport, Dolores Linn of St. Cloud, Bertha Herdering of Upsala and Gilbert (Carol) Gerads of Freeport; sister-in-law Angie Gerads of Albany; and in-laws Eugene Douvier of Randall, Irene (Rod) Gerads of Albany, Jim (Judy) Douvier of Avon, Allan (Renee) Douvier of St. Francis, Rita Douvier of Florida and Victor Tschida of Albany.
Frank was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Loretta Gerads; father- and mother-in-law Frank and Rose (Van Heel) Douvier; daughter-in-law Joan Gerads July 31, 2025; three grandchildren; one great-grandson; sisters Martha Gerads, Sister Marie Gerads, O.S.B., and Elizabeth Bechtold; brothers Martin, Jerome, Joseph, Bernard, John, Norbert and Herbie Gerads; and in-laws Mildred Gerads, Ambrose Herdering, Dean Schwanke, Dennis Linn, Alphonse Bechtold, Dorothy Gerads, Beatrice Tschida, Jeanette Tschida, Melvin Douvier and Diane Becker.
Arrangements were made with Patton-Schad Funeral & Cremation Services of Melrose.