Irving is survived by his beloved wife, Shirley D. Gerber and his three children, Amy R. Dizer of Beverly Hills, FL, Nancy D. Nash and husband Claude Nash of Sarasota, FL, Martin H. Gerber and his wife Sylvia C. Gerber of Belmont, and his five grandchildren Michael J. Souza, Jeremy N. Souza, Matthew J. Ochs-Nash, Johanna B. Nash-Pittenger, and Alexander E. Gerber. Irving also has two great-granddaughters, Liliana G. Souza and Finley C. Pittenger and one great-grandson Beckett M. Pittenger.
He is predeceased by his parents of blessed memory, Harry and Esther Gerber and his sister, Frances Bass and her husband Jack Bass.
Irving was born in Dorchester, MA and went to work for his father’s company, Gerber Sales, Inc. of Boston soon thereafter. He grew this business into one of the pre-eminent electronic component manufacturer representative firms in New England with a dozen plus employees, where he represented and sold to the area’s largest computer companies and defense contractors. Foreseeing a changing marketplace, he also founded Atlantic Components, Inc. a direct distributor of electronic components.
Irving was an early adopter of employer-funded retirement accounts for his employees, and in 1983 he gave his companies to his workers so he could embark on a new career in woodworking, his lifelong avocation. At 60, he went to and graduated from North Bennet St. School with a woodworking degree. He then founded Fine Woodworker’s of Boston in Charlestown and then Medford, MA. He hand-crafted fine furniture for some of the area’s most well-known CEOs and some of his pieces are on display in the chapel of Mt. Auburn Hospital and at Beth El Temple Center in his hometown.
Irving will be fondly remembered and sorely missed by his family and friends.
Funeral Services will be at 10:00AM on Tuesday, September 17, 2019 at Beth El Temple Center, 2 Concord Ave, Belmont, MA 02478. Interment will immediately follow at Sharon Memorial Park, 40 Dedham St. Sharon, MA. Visitors will be welcomed at the family residence from 4-8PM on Tuesday, September 17 and Wednesday, September 18. In lieu of flowers, donations in Irving’s memory may be made to WPI, North Bennet St. School, or Beth El Temple Center.
Arrangements under the direction of Stanetsky Memorial Chapel, 1668 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA. www.stanetskybrookline.com
DONATIONS
Worcester Polytechnic Institute100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609-2280
North Bennet Street School150 North Street, Boston, MA 02109
Beth El Temple Center2 Concord Avenue, Belmone, MA 02478
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