Nelson Henry Gerber

April 28, 1919 - Oct. 1, 1998

Nelson Henry Gerber, Sr., 79, of Lilac Road, South Bend, Ind., died peacefully in his sleep at Hospice House in Roseland on Thursday, Oct. 1, knowing he was loved.

Nelson is survived by his wife, Mary Leslie (Anderson) whom he married on Dec. 27, 1943, in South Bend. Mr. Gerber is also survived by Nelson and Susan Gerber and their children, John Nelson and Lynda Leigh of Carrollton, Ga., his daughter Laura Gerber and her children, C.J. and Heidi Remmo of Buchanan, her stepchildren, Andy and Matt Remmo and their sons, Lynne and David Knutson and their daughter, Signe Lynne of Canfield, Ohio, and Monica Joseph and her daughter, Morgan Leslie and her stepdaughter, Beth Carr of South Bend.

Mr. Gerber was born in Bremen on April 28, 1919, to the late Bessie (Longfield) and Sam Gerber. He graduated from Riley High School in 1937 at attended Indiana University, Bloomington. Nelson's love of airplanes and flying led him to get a pilot's license before enlisting in the Army Air Corps during World War II. He was honorably discharged after serving in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater two years.

After the war, he joined his parents in operating the Gerber Furniture Company, on South Michigan Street until it was sold in 1956. Nelson was employed at Studebaker as a contracted sheet metal worker and subsequently at Allied Signal until his retirement. Mr. Gerber served on the German Township Fire Department as a master firefighter for 30 years, some of which as chief of the department. He is known throughout St. Joseph County for his fire instruction, arson inspection and tactics.

Services for Mr. Gerber will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday at the First Christian Church of South Bend, 1101 E. Jefferson Blvd., and burial will be in Bremen Cemetery. Friends may call from 2 to 6 p.m. today in the Welsheimer Funeral Home North, 17033 Cleveland Road.

Memorials may be given to Hospice House, the German Township Fire Department building fund or to the First Christian Church of South Bend.

Article from 04 Oct 1998 The South Bend Tribune (South Bend, IN)

Source: Newspapers.com

08/12/2026 EJS