Eric R. Gerstmann

He graduated from Puyallup High School in 1942 and served in the U.S. Army Air Corp as a sheet metal apprentice and as an Air Cadet until 1945. He graduated from Pacific Lutheran College with a B.A. degree and received a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Denver in 1951.

Eric accepted a job as a case worker at The Lutheran Children’s Home in Waverly, Iowa where he met and married Mildred Pauline Engeling in 1952. They had two children, Carol Marie and Gerald Mark. In 1965 the family moved to Austin, Texas where he began his 15-year career with Lutheran Social Service of Texas (LSST). He was a case work manager with the adoption program and served as a family counselor, a consultant to the agency’s geriatric program and supervised and trained graduate students from UT Austin. He shifted to Residential Programs for the Aging in 1972 and received his Nursing Home Administrator License from the Texas Board of Licensure in 1975 and directed the expansion of two nursing homes from 1976-1978. He was a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), The Academy of Certified Social Workers and served on the Education Committee of the Texas Association of Homes for the Aging from 1978-1979.

In August of 1981 he made a career change and accepted the job as Professor of Sociology for Concordia Lutheran College, Austin where he taught until his retirement in May of 1991.

Both Eric and Millie made many lifelong friends in Iowa and Austin. They enjoyed traveling and often visited family and friends in Texas, Washington, Oregon, Colorado and Iowa. Gardening, baking and “do it yourself” projects took up many hours of Eric’s time after retirement. He was especially proud of the citrus trees he grew in the backyard and the fruit was often gifted to friends and neighbors to enjoy.

Eric was a life-long Lutheran. He sang in the choir, attended Luther League, taught Sunday School and served on various committees and church councils through the years. He and the family attended St. Paul’s Lutheran in Waverly, Iowa, Faith Lutheran in Austin and then joined Ascension Lutheran where he worshiped until he became a resident of Buckner Villas in October 2015.

He was proceeded in death by his wife, Mildred Pauline (Engeling) Gerstmann, his son, Gerald Mark Gerstmann, his parents, Karl and Elsie Gerstmann, brothers, Karl Gerstmann, Jr. (Drusilla), Herman Gerstmann, Rev. Albert Gerstmann (Gladys), sisters, Louise (Gerstmann) Fulton (Dick), Gertrude Gerstmann, sister-in-law Elverda (Engeling) Ognoskie (Lester), brothers-in-law, Erwin Engeling (Erna Mae), Rev. Henry Engeling (Loretta) and Wilfred “Bill” Engeling (Lorene).

He is survived by his daughter, Carol Marie (Gerstmann) Crader, daughter-in-law, Marilynn Gerstmann, grandsons James Gerstmann (Julia) and great grandchildren, Evelyn, Elizabeth (Lizzy) and Zachary Gerstmann, Matthew Crader and Emily Laird, Eric Crader (Ana) and great granddaughter Addison (Addie) Crader, granddaughter Amanda (Gerstmann) Collins (Clayton) and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.

Special thanks to his medical doctor of many years, Dr. Laura Guerrero, MD, the staff and residents of Buckner Villa – The Campbell Center, who loved and cared for him for nearly four years, his church family at Ascension Lutheran Church who kept him in their prayers and for his special friend, “adopted daughter and “the haircut lady” Denise Marshall. The love and care shown to Eric is greatly appreciated and will be remembered always.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be given to LSSS - Lutheran Social Services of the South (Upbring), Meals on Wheels, Lutheran World Relief or a charity of your choice.