Robert L. Gerbel
February 16th, 1935 - January 29th, 2023
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Robert's Obituary
The City of St. Joseph has lost one of its biggest fans. Bob Gerbel loved his city and worked tirelessly for many decades to help make it the beautiful place it is today. He passed away on Sunday January 29, 2023 at Caretel.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held Friday, February 3, 2023 at 11:00 am at Zion United Church of Christ. 3001 Veronica Drive, St. Joseph; with burial to follow at Riverview Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour before the service. In lieu of flowers, donations in Bob’s memory can be made to the St. Joseph Public Schools Foundation, 2580 S. Cleveland Ave., St. Joseph, MI 49085. Those wishing to leave an online condolence may do so at www.starksfamilyfh.com. Arrangements entrusted to Starks & Menchinger Chapel.
Bob was born on February 16,1935, in St. Joseph to Walter and Sophie Gerbel. He left St. Joseph to attend his beloved Michigan State University. Upon graduation and obtaining his accounting degree, he accepted a job at the accounting firm of Herkner and Frazer in Benton Harbor Michigan with a salary of $90 per week.
In 1959, he married a nurse who lived in the nurses’ residence across the street from his home, Carol. Together they raised three children Nancy, Karen and Steve. Bob opened his own accounting firm in 1968. Bob worked endless hours at his adding machine, providing accounting services to businesses, municipalities and individuals throughout the county. He had many wonderful employees throughout the years, but none more dedicated than his sidekick, Marcia Graham. She worked alongside Bob for over 45 years.
Being perched atop St. Joe on the fourth floor of the Fifth Third Building, he was always contemplating ways to make his hometown an even better place to live and work. He never hesitated to offer suggestions to our city leadership. He was always ready to jump in and work towards improving his hometown. He was so very proud of the lights on the bluff at the holiday season and the flowers in the medians of Main Street in the spring. For years he was active in the St. Joseph Improvement Association which assisted in bringing many projects and ideas to fruition.
When Bob wasn’t working, he loved to garden. If you found a zucchini on steroids on your front porch, you knew that Bob had stopped by your house. Summer evenings he could be found on his yellow Cub Cadet tractor rototilling the garden if it needed it or not. Weeds feared him and his Cub Cadet.
On Saturdays in the fall, Bob and Carol could be found trekking up to East Lansing to cheer on the mighty Spartan football team in Section 22 Rows 27 & 28. After Carol had suffered in the elements for years, Bob moved up and into one of Spartan Stadium’s new heated, indoor skyboxes. Now that is how you watch a football game! Bob leaves behind many Spartan friends at Michigan State University whom he enjoyed sharing his game day frustrations. Sparty has lost a good friend and dedicated fan.
Bob served the community in too many roles to list. One of his favorite summer events was the Western Amateur at the Point O Woods every August. Bob acted as the Point of Woods member/sponsor for the Western Golf Association for more than four decades. You always knew where to find Bob, he was the one perched on the ninth green wearing the hard hat and letting the young amateur golfers know if their tee shot had cleared the feared pond. Bob loved the game of golf and he shared this love with Carol at the Point O Woods on Friday evenings attempting to keep up with Carol on the course in the Sunset Golf events.
More recently, Bob has turned his sights on supporting the efforts of the St. Joseph Public Schools Foundation. Ensuring our schools are the best they can possibly be was very important to the family, especially as some of his grandchildren attended the schools.
Bob leaves behind a legacy of community service and extreme generosity.
Bob was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Carol in August. He is survived by his three children, Nancy (Jim) Kodis, Karen Homan and Steve (Claudine) Gerbel; seven grandchildren, Matt (Emily) Kodis, Drew Homan, Sam (Sarah) Kodis, Kate (Brad) Fyffe, Carolyn Kodis, Alex Gerbel and Sydney Gerbel and one great-grandson, Charlie Kodis.
A celebration of life service will be held Friday, February 3, 2023 at 11:00 am at Zion United Church of Christ. 3001 Veronica Drive, St. Joseph. Visitation will be one hour before the service. In lieu of flowers, donations in Bob’s memory can be made to the St. Joseph Public Schools Foundation, 2580 S. Cleveland Ave., St. Joseph, MI 49085. Those wishing to leave an online condolence may do so at www.starksfamilyfh.com.
Bob will not only be permanently upgrading his seats at Spartan Stadium but with his newly obtained status he has now earned VIP seats for every sporting venue on Michigan State’s campus from which I am sure he will continue to cheer on his Spartans from heaven for the rest of time. Go Green! Go White!
A Celebration of Life Service will be held Friday, February 3, 2023 at 11:00 am at Zion United Church of Christ. 3001 Veronica Drive, St. Joseph; with burial to follow at Riverview Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour before the service. In lieu of flowers, donations in Bob’s memory can be made to the St. Joseph Public Schools Foundation, 2580 S. Cleveland Ave., St. Joseph, MI 49085. Those wishing to leave an online condolence may do so at www.starksfamilyfh.com. Arrangements entrusted to Starks & Menchinger Chapel.
Bob was born on February 16,1935, in St. Joseph to Walter and Sophie Gerbel. He left St. Joseph to attend his beloved Michigan State University. Upon graduation and obtaining his accounting degree, he accepted a job at the accounting firm of Herkner and Frazer in Benton Harbor Michigan with a salary of $90 per week.
In 1959, he married a nurse who lived in the nurses’ residence across the street from his home, Carol. Together they raised three children Nancy, Karen and Steve. Bob opened his own accounting firm in 1968. Bob worked endless hours at his adding machine, providing accounting services to businesses, municipalities and individuals throughout the county. He had many wonderful employees throughout the years, but none more dedicated than his sidekick, Marcia Graham. She worked alongside Bob for over 45 years.
Being perched atop St. Joe on the fourth floor of the Fifth Third Building, he was always contemplating ways to make his hometown an even better place to live and work. He never hesitated to offer suggestions to our city leadership. He was always ready to jump in and work towards improving his hometown. He was so very proud of the lights on the bluff at the holiday season and the flowers in the medians of Main Street in the spring. For years he was active in the St. Joseph Improvement Association which assisted in bringing many projects and ideas to fruition.
When Bob wasn’t working, he loved to garden. If you found a zucchini on steroids on your front porch, you knew that Bob had stopped by your house. Summer evenings he could be found on his yellow Cub Cadet tractor rototilling the garden if it needed it or not. Weeds feared him and his Cub Cadet.
On Saturdays in the fall, Bob and Carol could be found trekking up to East Lansing to cheer on the mighty Spartan football team in Section 22 Rows 27 & 28. After Carol had suffered in the elements for years, Bob moved up and into one of Spartan Stadium’s new heated, indoor skyboxes. Now that is how you watch a football game! Bob leaves behind many Spartan friends at Michigan State University whom he enjoyed sharing his game day frustrations. Sparty has lost a good friend and dedicated fan.
Bob served the community in too many roles to list. One of his favorite summer events was the Western Amateur at the Point O Woods every August. Bob acted as the Point of Woods member/sponsor for the Western Golf Association for more than four decades. You always knew where to find Bob, he was the one perched on the ninth green wearing the hard hat and letting the young amateur golfers know if their tee shot had cleared the feared pond. Bob loved the game of golf and he shared this love with Carol at the Point O Woods on Friday evenings attempting to keep up with Carol on the course in the Sunset Golf events.
More recently, Bob has turned his sights on supporting the efforts of the St. Joseph Public Schools Foundation. Ensuring our schools are the best they can possibly be was very important to the family, especially as some of his grandchildren attended the schools.
Bob leaves behind a legacy of community service and extreme generosity.
Bob was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Carol in August. He is survived by his three children, Nancy (Jim) Kodis, Karen Homan and Steve (Claudine) Gerbel; seven grandchildren, Matt (Emily) Kodis, Drew Homan, Sam (Sarah) Kodis, Kate (Brad) Fyffe, Carolyn Kodis, Alex Gerbel and Sydney Gerbel and one great-grandson, Charlie Kodis.
A celebration of life service will be held Friday, February 3, 2023 at 11:00 am at Zion United Church of Christ. 3001 Veronica Drive, St. Joseph. Visitation will be one hour before the service. In lieu of flowers, donations in Bob’s memory can be made to the St. Joseph Public Schools Foundation, 2580 S. Cleveland Ave., St. Joseph, MI 49085. Those wishing to leave an online condolence may do so at www.starksfamilyfh.com.
Bob will not only be permanently upgrading his seats at Spartan Stadium but with his newly obtained status he has now earned VIP seats for every sporting venue on Michigan State’s campus from which I am sure he will continue to cheer on his Spartans from heaven for the rest of time. Go Green! Go White!
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