Yesterday I lost the man, ma father, who has made me who I am today. I am relieved that he no longer has to endure the pain that he had to recently.
Obit
Thomas Wesley Gerlach, Sr., 55, Seven Hills, Ohio passed away on February 7, 2012.
Tom was born in 1956 in Jackson, Michigan to Bruce, Sr. and the late Lisbeth Gerlach. He studied Law Enforcement at Northwestern Michigan College. He married Jayne (Lundy) in 1978 and they lived in New Mexico and Michigan before moving to Ohio. Tom devoted his life to helping people, professionally as a police officer, sheriff's deputy, firefighter and emergency medical technician and personally as a great friend and family member. It wasn't uncommon for someone to come up to him at a store and say something like, Do you remember me? You saved my life or you saved my sister's life or you were at my accident and you were so kind to me.
Tom often spoke fondly of growing up on Miller Ave in Ann Arbor and all the wonderful neighbors that made it a real "Leave It to Beaver" community. As a father himself, he carried that feeling into helping coach soccer, leading Boy Scouts, being active in Mitchell Elementary School PTO, etc. He worked the midnight shift at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital for many years, thus allowing him to be the one his boys came home to after school.
He loved cars and could identify the make and year of most cars at a glance. He owned 22 cars before he turned 22 and only slowed down when the fiscal responsibilities of a family required it. He saved friends and family countless dollars by giving advice or actually fixing cars. Maybe it is because of the hours spent working on cars and hours spent in public safety that his oldest son works in automotive research and his youngest is a police officer.
You could always count on Tom's humor and quick wit to lighten the mood. Tom loved to tease and his deep laugh was contagious. Those who loved Tom laughed often. He also had a strong love for animals. He said that without Jayne's common sense the two of them might have become the dog and cat people you hear sometimes about on the news.
Tom is survived by his wife, Jayne of Seven Hills, Ohio; sons, Thomas, Jr. (Christy) of Marysville, Ohio; Trevor (Brianna) of Muskegon, Michigan, brother, Bruce, Jr. (Beckie) of Clinton, Michigan and father, Bruce Sr. of Clinton, Michigan. He will also be missed by his nieces, nephews, extended family and numerous friends.
The Celebration of his Life will be held Saturday, February 11, 2012 with visitation at 10:00 a.m. followed by the service at 11 a.m. at Charles J. Burden & Son Funeral Home, 1806 E. Michigan Avenue, Jackson, Michigan. Burial will follow at Woodland Cemetery.
In honor of Tom, please find a way to "pay it forward" today.