Ernest Richard Gerlach

Ernest R. Gerlach of Sarasota died January 1, 2023, at age 99. He was born in Bethlehem, PA. Ernest, (Ernie), attended Liberty High School, where he was drum major in the marching band. After high school he attended Lehigh University, graduating in 1946 with a degree in chemical engineering. In the middle of WWII, Ernie joined the Navy, and while stationed at Pearl Harbor he attended the University of Hawaii, filling in requirements for his degree at Lehigh University.

After the Navy and college, Ernie worked in Chicago as a chemical engineer, but found it not to his liking. He took courses at Northwestern University, and soon procured a job with the Chicago Transit Authority, (CTA), thus launching his career in the transportation field. He subsequently worked in Covington, KY; Los Angeles, CA; Miami, FL; and several shorter consulting jobs in the U.S. and abroad.

Ernie was a loving husband and father. He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Kay (Jeffrey) Gerlach, and three children: Judith (Gerlach) Clark of Hoonah, AK; Richard Gerlach, of Palmetto, FL; and Jeffrey Gerlach, of Philadelphia, PA. He is also survived by five grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren. His warm smile and kind manner will be greatly missed by his family and friends, especially those friends at Bay Village where he and his wife have lived for more than nine years.

For online tributes, please visit www.rtsfunerals.com