Memorial Mass:
Thursday, December 29, 2016, 11:00am
St. Michael Roman Catholic Church
85 N. High St., Greenville, PA
Rev. V. David Foradori, Pastor, officiating
Greenville VFW Post #3374 will render military honors
at the conclusion of the service.
The family invites all in attendance to join with them
at a luncheon in the church social hall immediately
following the service.
Walter Andrew Gerdy (86) passed away on November 24, 2016, at St. Paul’s in Greenville following a brief illness.
He was born in Sheakleyville, PA, on November 3, 1930, to Michael and Julia Gerdy. He was the 9th of eleven children and was a lifelong resident of the Sheakleyville – Greenville area but spent the past fifteen years wintering in Wildwood, FL.
Walter graduated from the former Penn High School in 1948. He married Rose Cianci on June 2, 1951. She survives.  They celebrated their 65th anniversary in July of this year.
Walter served two years in the Marines and was a long time member of the VFW and the Moose Club.
Mr. Gerdy worked at several local companies during his lifetime including Howard Curtis Trucking, Greenville Tubes, and Steel Car. He retired from the R.D. Werner Company where he was a truck driver for nearly 20 years. While at Werner’s, he was active in the Teamster’s Union and served as grievance chairman and President of the Local.
He and Rose also owned and operated the Orangeville Tavern in Orangeville, PA, for four years and the Friendly Tavern (currently the Draw Bar) for ten years. Â
Walter was an avid hunter, fisherman, and golfer. He enjoyed fishing on Lake Erie for many years and golfed in leagues in Greenville and Florida up until last year. He was very active and enjoyed spending time with family and friends, playing cards, reading, woodworking, and sports. He was a Pittsburgh Pirates and Steelers fan. Walter believed in honesty and always spoke his mind.
Walter was preceded in death by a son, James Gerdy, his parents, two sisters, and seven brothers. He is survived by his wife Rose, a daughter Marianne (Drew) and her husband Jerry of Sandy Lake, a son Mark and his wife Diane of Easley, SC; a daughter Joanna Gerdy of Charlotte, NC; and a daughter-in-law Peg Gerdy of Danville, PA. He is also survived by five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren; one brother, Bill Gerdy, of Clermont, FL; and many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Michael Roman Catholic Church, 85 N. High St., Greenville, PA 16125.
Arrangements are under the direction of Loutzenhiser-Jordan Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc., 366-368 S. Main St., Greenville, PA.
Mark & Diane,
Our love, & prayers are with you & your family. May God give you comfort as he wraps his loving arms around you during this difficult time.
…….remember meeting Walt Gerdy, “Mr. Gerdy”, as a kid….a friend of my dad’s….solid husband, good/strict father, WWII vet, blue collar (union man, Steel Car, Werner’s, tavern owner) who had a big, easy, contagious laugh … remember hangin’ out, playin’ football & whiffleball all day long with his son Mark at St. Mike’s, each other’s houses and in the parking lot at the ole Orangeville Tavern….and one fateful day, I think I was 7 or so, eatin’ a meal there with our family and trying to get the cue ball “sooner than my brothers” at the pool table thru the return pocket — got my arm wedged in there. As this young kid freaked out a bit, Walt Gerdy tried a minute to get me untwisted…then, calmly came back and sawed part of the pool table away to free my arm. He was from that era — they just did what HAD to be done — take care of your family, kids, work hard, solve problems directly, laugh a bit, overcome obstacles by truckin’ on …. day by day. Solid spouse, father, man. May his wife and kids treasure those memories of him. He was…Like a rock
My deepest sympathy to the entire family.