Clifford Gerber,

Clifford Wayne Gerber, 87, was born October 9, 1925 in Ottawa Lake, Michigan on his grandmother's farm. His parents, George E. and Myrtle E. (Grosteffon) Gerber bought her parents farm in LaSalle, Michigan when Clifford was 10 years old. Cliff attended a one room school house with his three brothers and two sisters. Cliff was always a story teller and often told tales of his childhood pranks, such as putting the teacher's horse drawn wagon on top of the school house roof. Cliff worked the family farm until enlisting in the Army during W. W. II. He was on a ship headed to the Japanese combat zone when Japan surrendered. He was a T-4 Sergeant Technician in the 43rd Construction Battalion and served his time in Japan, mostly building an air field in Yokota. He was honorably discharged in November 1947. He met the love of his life, Delores Ima Keck at a roller rink in LaSalle. They eloped and were married in Tennessee on March 19, 1949. They made an apartment upstairs at the Gerber farmstead where they lived while Cliff hand-built their first home next door. There they raised four children and in 1964 bought the Gerber farmstead from his parents. Cliff tore down the old house his ancestors built in 1912 and constructed a new ranch style home for his family. They spent their first Christmas there in 1967. Cliff had many jobs over the years. The ones he reminisced the most were working for Consolidate Packaging and Roadway Trucking Company from which he retired in 1985. He was a skilled mechanic but was really a jack-of-all-trades. He could fix or build anything. Cliff could do anything and always came to the rescue for his children and grand-children. He grew a garden, hosted family camp outs in his back yard, comforted grieving children and lovingly cared for his dying spouse. He always gave his best, right up to the end. He is survived by his four children, Denise (Stan) Drodt of Ida, Sue Dozier of LaSalle, Alan (Barb Reynolds) Gerber of Ida, and Clifford, Jr. (Amy Wilkerson) Gerber of Ypsilanti. He is also survived by 11 grandchildren: Lisa (Dan) Hemmele, Rhonda (Mike) Opfermann, Briana (DJ) Green, Jenna Drodt, Alysia (Chris) White, Heidi Dozier, Matt (Kate Hartman) Dozier, Annie (Gerber) Lesage, Angela Gerber, Nicole (Mike) Belair, and Keegan Wilkerson. To his delight he also was blessed with 13 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, his brothers and sister-in laws, William and Mary Gerber, John and Grace Gerber, and Robert Gerber, his sisters and brother-in-laws, Sylvia and Myron Saum, Goldie Stanifer and Arnold Hehl and his son-in-law, Richard Dozier. They surely are reuniting with him in heaven. The greatest gift he gave to his entire family was his love. He was a role model for four generations; a good son, a close brother, a great provider and loving husband, a gentle father, a proud grandfather and delighted great-grandfather "Papa Gerber". He was our "ROCK". He is sadly missed but forever cherished in our hearts, our memories, and the loving family unity he created and kindled. He was a good man who had a wonderful full life. Visitation will be held on Monday, February 4, 2013, from 12 noon until 8:00 PM in the Bacarella Funeral Home, 1201 S. Telegraph Rd. in Monroe where funeral services celebrating Clifford’s life will be held that evening at 7:00 PM. The Rev. Ted Kerr III, pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Ida, MI, will officiate.

Clifford Gerber,

February 1, 2013