Gerd Josef Hermens

Born on January 17, 1941 in Monchengladbach NRW Germany, Gerd was the eldest son of Magdalena and Josef Hermens. As a young man, Gerd was extremely studious. His favorite subjects were math, history, and ancestry. He loved to read and spoke four languages. He had a great sense of adventure and spent the majority of his semester breaks hitchhiking across Europe.

Gerd met his wife, Brigitte, at the horseback riding club of Monchengladbach. They were married in 1968.

Gerd worked in the textile industry for 60 years and built a successful career with Schlafhorst Inc. In 1970, he accepted an opportunity to relocate to Schlafhorst‘s sister company in the United States. Gerd and Brigitte made Charlotte, North Carolina their home and eventually moved to Indian Land, SC in 2010.

During his tenure, Gerd's work in service and sales took him across the United States, into Canada, Mexico, and even Ireland. Gerd and Brigitte shared a passion for traveling. They were fortunate enough to visit over 35 different countries throughout their adventures. Gerd enjoyed exploring a variety of cultures, histories, and culinary experiences.

Even with adventures all over the world, one of Gerd's favorite destinations and pastimes was relaxing on a sunny beach with a newspaper or a great book.

Gerd is survived by his wife, Brigitte; two children, Marcus (his wife, Georgia) and Angela; and three beautiful grandchildren, Alana, Grayson, and Ella.

Although Gerd has passed, his memory will always live on through his loved ones and those fortunate to have known him.

Friends and family are invited to gather in a service to celebrate Gerd's life at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 15th, 2023, in the chapel of McEwen Funeral Service - Pineville Chapel, 10500 Park Road, Charlotte, NC. (If you wish to view the service via livestream, please go to the Scheduled Services section of the website and click on "Join Livestream". It will be accessible about ten minutes prior to the service.)

For those wishing to send memorial gifts, please consider Hospice & Palliative Care, Charlotte Region (www.hpccr.org).

Condolences may be offered at www.McEwenPinevilleChapel.com.