Lewis W. Gerth

Lewis W. Gerth, 89, a resident of Bettendorf, Iowa died on Thursday, June 23, 2005 at Genesis Medical Center, Illini Campus in Silvis, Illinois.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 A.M. Monday, June 27, 2005 at the McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Chapel, Bettendorf. Burial will be in Davenport Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 2:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. Sunday at the funeral home where a Masonic service will be conducted at 5:00 P.M. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Shriner’s Hospitals for Children.
He was born June 12, 1916 in Wapello, Iowa, the son of Lewis William & Anna Charlotte (Otto) Gerth. In September of 1938 he was united in marriage to Janet A. Burzell in Kahoka, Missouri. He was later united in marriage to Frances E. Neuhart in Kahoka, Missouri on October 14, 1949. She preceded him in death on October 20, 1997.
Lewis retired in 1979 from the Alcoa Company, Davenport Works after 24 years of service. In earlier years, he farmed the family farm in Wapello and was employed at the Middleton Munitions Plant in Middleton, Iowa.
Lewis was a longtime and devoted Mason. He was a member & past-master of the Wapello Lodge #5 of Wapello, Iowa, member & past-master of Hamilton Lodge #664 of Bettendorf where he served as Secretary for over 30 years and member & past-master of the Early Morning Lodge #672 of Bettendorf. In addition, he was a member of the Davenport Consitory, the Scottish Rite, the Kaaba Shrine, the Hi-Twelve Club and the Mohassan Grotto. He was also a member of the Star of the East Order of the Eastern Star of Bettendorf where he was past-worthy Patron, the Order of the Eastern Star of Davenport and the Silver Creek Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star of LeClaire. For many years, he drove the Shriner’s van to the Shriner’s Hospital in Chicago where a multitude of children were treated.
He was a member of Asbury United Methodist Church of Bettendorf and a member of the Alcoa Retirees Club where he served as treasurer for many years.
In his leisure time, Lewis enjoyed traveling and deer hunting near the family farm in Wapello.
Those left to honor his memory include his daughter & son-in-law, Charlotte & Jeff Peterson of Rock Island, Illinois; his sons & daughters-in-law, Bruce & Tracy Gerth of LeClaire, Iowa and William & Ingrid Gerth of Eldridge, Iowa; his grandchildren, Todd Peterson & his wife, April, Mark Peterson & his wife, Kimberly, Jeremy Gerth & his wife, Sharon, Justin Gerth, Kelly Lepensky & her husband, Mark and Stephanie Bailey & her husband, Scott; and his great-grandchildren, Joseph Bailey, Lauren Bailey, Peter Bailey, Joshua Bailey, Christopher Lepensky, Gabrielle Lepensky, Connor Lepensky, Grace Lepensky, Andrew Gerth, Arianna Schabilion, Lilian Gerth & Gracie Gerth.
In addition to his wife, Lewis was preceded in death by his sisters, Charoltte & Margaret; and by his brothers, Raymond, Clifford & Frederick.