Hermiston

May 8, 1938 — July 21, 2020

Robert William Gerard (Bob) of Hermiston was born May 8, 1938, to Ernest and Wilma Gerard, in Lexington, Oregon, on the wheat ranch. He was the youngest of four boys, including Lawrence, Walter and Clarence. He passed away at Good Shepherd Hospital on July 21, 2020, at the age of 82.

Robert married Wanda Hausinger in 1958 in Hood River, Oregon, and later relocated his family to Hermiston, Oregon, in 1969. The couple later divorced.

He worked for Marlette Homes in 1969 and the early 1970s after he moved his family to and from Rocks Springs, Wyoming. He later went to work for the Hermiston School District, and in his later years he did ground maintenance for Herold Love until he retired. Once he retired, he ran a few secondhand stores as a hobby.

He loved fishing, taking drives, going to grandkids’ games, going to yard sales, and watching his son Rick and grandsons race at the Umatilla racetrack, where he raced back in the early 1970s. But most of all he loved gatherings with his family!

He was a lifetime member at the local Eagles lodge in Hermiston, Oregon, until it closed. He held many positions at the lodge, but most of all he was proud of being the president a couple of times and having his family join the lodge.

The couple had seven children: Robert T. Gerard (Carolyn) of Albany, Jadean Morgan (Dennis) of Eugene, Oregon, Nadine Lucas (Scott) of Umatilla, Oregon, Jim Gerard (Tammi) of Cottage Grove, Sondra Toliver (Larry) of Eugene, Oregon, Jeannie Holtan of Junction City, Oregon, and Rick Gerard (Gabi) of Hermiston, Oregon; and 18 grandkids: Randy Gerard (Tamara), Kimberly Gerard, Danny Gerard (Stacia), Michael Gerard (Catherine), Chad Ayres (Ashley), Brad Ayres (Lindsay), Staci Ayres, Steven Lucas (Claudia), Chris Morgan, Denny Morgan, Jimmy Morgan, Matt Gerard (Bretlen), Brittney Muth (Brett), Kevin Huxoll (Brandy), Markus Baker (Ali), Jeff Baker, Landon Gerard and Brooke Gerard; 27 great-grandkids; and two great-great-grandkids.

He was preceded in death by his father, Ernest Gerard; his mother, Wilma Gerard (Hastings); his brother, Clarence Gerard; and grandson Chris Morgan.

A celebration of life will be May 8, 2021, at Spillway Park (by the McNary Dam) at 1 p.m. We will be serving lunch. Must RSVP! Please contact Nadine at 541-561-4785.