Mr. Gernot "Gerry" Erich Damerau

Gernot “Gerry” Erich Damerau, 68, passed away on Wednesday March 17, 2010 in Houston, Texas following a long, courageous battle with Cancer.

Gerry was born June 11, 1941 in Hamburg, Germany, where he was raised and spent the majority of his early years. He was educated in Hamburg and later received a graduate degree from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. Gerry spent the first part of his career in the banking sector in Hamburg, Toronto and Vancouver, and later became the Chief Executive Officer of Hansa Financial and Corporate Management, Inc. in Canada.

In 1979, Gerry moved to Texas, where he worked as a Commercial Real Estate Broker, garnering the highly coveted Centurion Award in 1993.

In 1987, he met his wife Karen at a Valentine’s Day party at the home of friends. The couple was inseparable ever since. In 1997, Gerry and Karen founded Collecto-Mania, a gift and collectibles store in Old Town Spring. In 2009, the store was awarded the Click2Houstons Best Award as the Number One Gift Shop in Houston.

Gerry loved his family deeply and traveled extensively. He was fond of everything Disney, taking his parents there to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, attending Retailer Forums for Collecto-Mania, and then introduced Tyler and Alex to the Magical Kingdom. He and Karen traveled to Germany, Austria, Canada, France and, perhaps his favorite, Australia. Gerry was an avid Tennis Player for many years, playing most recently at Westside.

He is survived by his loving wife, Karen; mother, Franziska Damerau of Hamburg; children: Nicole Damerau Swanson of Vancouver, Kimberly Harris Bissell of Sugar Land, and Judith Damerau Liu of Vancouver: grandchildren, Tyler and Alex Bissell, Cooper Swanson, Monica and Natasha Liu.

He was loved and will be greatly missed.

Gerry never sent cut flowers to anyone. He said that everyone he had

sent flowers to had died.

So, if you would like to send something to honor Gerry, please send it to the organization of your choice or to:

Mr. Roland Roca

The Foundation for Cancer Support

902 Frostwood, Suite 315

Houston, TX 77024

This is a group which Dr. Campos' organization, Oncology Consultants,

is just beginning, the purpose of which is to offer all kinds of support, help, and information to cancer patients and their loved ones.