Richard Martin Gerst

Richard Martin Gerst, age 77 of Sterling Heights, Michigan passed away peacefully with his daughter by his side at William Beaumont Hospital in Troy on the morning of Monday, January 28, 2019. Richard was born in Detroit, Michigan on July 26, 1941 to Henry and Anna (Sutter) Gerst. He attended Ascension School, Grant School, and St. Thomas the Apostle High School and received his Associate’s degrees in Technology and Printing from Macomb Community College. Richard was employed for over thirty years as a process engineer at Koltanbar Engineering Co. in Troy, Michigan. He later went on to work at Walmart in Shelby Township where he particularly enjoyed playing Santa for the youngest customers each Christmas. For many years, he and his former wife Sandy owned the Sandrich Co., which dealt in old and collectible books, sheet music, and historic ephemera. His daughters recall spending many a weekend at antiquarian book fairs, hidden under their parents’ booth, passing the hours reading and playing together. Richard served for many years as the Chairman of the Board at Bi-County PTC Federal Credit Union and was a longtime member of the Knights of Columbus. He was a natural storyteller and penned several unpublished books that featured his daughters as the main characters. Richard was also an avid collector – both of objects and of friends. He especially enjoyed collecting National Geographic magazines from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, historic books, postcards and had a special interest in American history. He was an excellent cook and loved creating recipes and having his family taste test his new concoctions. Several of his recipes won awards at the Michigan State Fair over the years. He was constantly coming up with new ideas and enjoyed finding solutions for ordinary problems. Some of his most unique creations included a board game devoted to the “King of Rock and Roll,” Elvis Presley and a whimsical line of animal-themed children’s clothing hangers that were sold at Meijer. Richard always had a corny joke at the ready and was known for his excellent impression of Yogi Bear, which delighted all his daughters’ childhood friends. His family will particularly miss his annual reading of The Night Before Christmas and his nightly 9:00 pm phone calls. He enjoyed spoiling his granddaughters and continued to overindulge them despite his daughter and son-in-law’s protests. Richard is survived by his daughters Melissa (Jason) Ford and Katie (Jake Lyons) Gerst; granddaughters Isabel, Hannah, Harper and Hazel; and many dear cousins who were like siblings to him. He is also survived by the mother of his children, Sandra Calamari, sister-in-law Carolyn Coombes, and many close friends. Richard was preceded in death by his parents, sister Anna Mae, brother Henry, and beloved aunt Mary Aubuchon. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Richard’s name to the Knights of Columbus local Council #13340 or Notre Dame Preparatory’s Mary’s Way fund.

Richard Martin Gerst

July 26, 1941 - January 28, 2019