Gerrit Vogel

Gerrit was born on March 25, 1962 in Templin, Germany to Alfred and Margret Vogel. Always a curious child, Gerrit loved to sail and work on his motorcycles, cars, and the family’s boat. He dreamt of one day leaving East Germany and seeing the world. He studied electrical engineering at the Technische Universität Dresden, where he met his wife, Jenny. Jenny and Gerrit wed on August 5, 1983.

Gerrit started his international career at Bayer in Leverkusen, Germany in 1990. Bayer moved him and his young family to Pittsburgh, PA in 1997. This began a wonderful journey in the USA for the Vogels. The family later relocated to Cary, North Carolina, Walnut Creek, California and finally, Houston, Texas. After 30 years in electrical engineering and automation, Gerrit’s illness, cardiac sarcoidosis, forced him to retire from Covestro (formerly Bayer MaterialScience). In 2019, Gerrit and Jenny moved back to North Carolina to begin their retirement. Gerrit’s many interests and connections within the community led him to become a real estate broker and investor. He was passionate about real estate and very much enjoyed working with DASH Carolina over the past few years. Gerrit owned his own property management company with his wife Jenny, and he played an active role on the neighborhood board.

In his spare time, Gerrit enjoyed traveling and family vacations. He loved fishing and boating at Jordan Lake, watching German TV shows with his wife, good food and drinks, dogs, scuba diving, skiing, and most of all spending time with his family.

He is preceded in death by his father, Alfred Vogel and his mother, Margret Vogel.

Gerrit is lovingly remembered by his wife of 40 years, Jenny Vogel; daughters, Lisa Sitterson and Inga Lampis; son-in laws, Carter Sitterson Jr and Connor Lampis; grandson, Noah Sitterson; mother-in-law Erika Kleine; father-in-law Lothar Kleine; sister, Elke Sy and her husband Michael Sy; nephews Sebastian Sy and Maximillian Sy and their families.

Services for Gerrit will be held on Sunday, April 23, 2023 at Apex Funeral Home. Doors open at 1:30 PM with a memorial service at 2:00 and a visitation to follow until 3:30. Light refreshments will be served.

In lieu of customary remembrances or flowers, memorial contributions may be donated to the Duke Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery (https://gifts.duke.edu/surgery) or the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/donate/).

Fond memories and expressions of condolences can be shared online at apexfuneral.net for the Vogel family or mailed to the family’s home in Chapel Hill.