John Charles Gerhard III

John Charles Gerhard III, 67, passed away August 19, 2013 at Creekside Hospice in Las Vegas, Nevada after a bravely fought battle against pancreatic cancer. John was born November, 12, 1945 in East St. Louis, Illinois. He was one of three boys (Karl and Joseph are brothers) born to John Jr. and Violet Gerhard. He was an accomplished trumpet player as a child; attended Cornell University, obtaining a degree in Hotel Administration; attended the Naval Postgraduate School, receiving a Masters in Information Systems; and attended Northwestern University Kellogg Graduate School of Management, receiving a Masters in Management. John joined the United States Navy in 1967, serving in the Food Service and Medical Service Corps. He met his soon-to-be wife, Wei, in Taipei, Taiwan in 1971 while stationed overseas. They married after a brief courtship on September 4, 1971 and then moved to Flushing, New York. The newlywed couple moved to Oceanside, California in 1974 and had two children, Lilly and John. John continued his service in the U.S. Navy until his retirement in 1989 as the Executive Officer of the Naval Hospital at Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois, holding the rank of Commander. John continued to work as a civilian in Medical Practice Finance Administration until his retirement in November 2011. John was active in the Rotary Club and American Legion throughout his civilian career. In May 2012, John and Wei moved to Henderson, Nevada to retire. John enjoyed traveling to National Parks, viewing wildlife, cooking, and sailing on cruise ships. But most of all, he loved spending time with his family. John is survived by his wife, Wei; his daughter, Lilly Flamm, and her children Sydney and Jonathan; and his son, John, and his children, Caleb, Evan, Micah, and Stacy. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to the American Cancer Society in John's memory. Arrangements under the direction of Palm Eastern Mortuary, Las Vegas, NV.