Erwin W. Kercher

Notes:

Cass City Chronicle, 30 Aug 1907

Local Items

Ervin W. Kaercher, who has been employed in the Chronicle office for nearly a year, left Monday morning for Detroit, where he has secured employment. Ervln has made a large number of friends during his stay in Cass City and all join in wishing him success in his new venture. Wm. Schwain of Pigeon is now employed in the Chronicle office.

Robert Carlson writes that "In the 1910 census, Erwin was recorded as Ervin Karecher, and I suspect his birth name was probably Ervin Kaercher or Karecher. The spelling Karecher was used in a lot of documents of the family in Canada, but on the gravestones the spelling is Kaercher. "

According to his obituary, he worked at the Cass City Chronicle for 43 years, starting in 1909, leaving the paper in 1952 when his wife became ill. After her death, he worked part time in various Thumb newspaper plants, helping out during peak periods, in addition to maintaining his own printing establishment in the village of Cass City. He was survived by son Charles of Linwood, Lt. Col. Ferris Kercher in Japan and Capt. Gerald Kercher in Germany; a brother Clarence Kercher of Owosso; nine grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

Erwin married Amanda Lillian Muck on 1 Sep 1909 in Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan. Amanda (daughter of Adam H. Muck and Susan Striffler) was born on 17 May 1888 in Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan; died on 3 Jun 1953 in Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan; was buried in Elkland Township Cemetery, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

At the time of the 1930 Federal census, he was a lodger in Marvin & Lamont, Carbon County, Wyoming, working as a Gas Man in the Oil Fields (ED 4-7, SD 5, Sheet 2A, Line 3).

This is his listing on the SSDI:

CHARLES R KERCHER 01 Feb 1910 06 Oct 1996 (V) 48634 (Linwood, Bay, MI ) (none specified) 443-01-3496 Oklahoma

Charles married Eulah Mae Blackwell on 4 Aug 1930 in Rawlins, Carbon County, Wyoming. Eulah was born about 1910; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Charles married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Charles married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Volume 5 of the Striffler-Benkelman Broadcast, dated September 1, 1941, noted that Lt. Ferris Kercher of the 10th infantry spent six weeks this summer on manuevers in Tennessee. At that time he was as an instructor in classes at Fort Custer, Michigan.

Cass City Chronicle
Friday, May 4, 1945
Local Happenings, Page Four

Captain Ferris Kercher, son of Mr. and Mrs. E.W. Kercher arrived home Saturday and on Monday evening a group of relatives helped him celebrate his birthday at a dinner given in his honor. The guests were Mr. and Mrs. Roy Graham and son, Ferris, of Caro, Mr. and Mrs. William Joos, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Jezewski and two children, and Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Joos and son, all of Cass City.

In the STRIFFLER-BENKELMAN BROADCAST, Volume 9, September 2, 1946, in a column titled "Still in the Service of the U.S.A.", it was noted that Capt. Ferris A. Kercher has been commissioned in the regular army and is located at Fort Sam Houston Camp, San Antonio, Texas. Volume 10 of the same periodical reports that Capt. and Mrs. Kercher had moved to Fort Benning where the Captain will attend Officers' Training School for ten months. Volume 11 reported he was an instructor in the Army School at Fort Benning.

In Volume 14 of the same periodical, dated September 1951, it was noted that he had been transferred from Fort Benning to Leavenworth, Kansas, where he would be attending school for a year. Volume 15, published in September 1952, noted he had graduated from Fort Leavenworth in June, and that he and his family spent a week in July with his parents in Cass City. They were on their way to their new home in Presidio, Monterey, California, where they would reside for a year while Major Kercher would attend school to learn the Japanese language. In Volume 16 of the Broadcast, it was reported that he had left of Toyko in August, with his family living in Grand Rapids, planning to join him at a later date. As of the 1959 publication date of Volume 22, he was stationed in Turkey.


Volume 26 of the STIFFLER-BENKELMAN BROADCAST, published on September 5, 1966, reported that he was working for the State Employment office in Sacramento, California.

Ferris married Violet Eleanor McCallum before 1947. Violet was born on 8 Nov 1914 in Greenleaf Township, Sanilac County, Michigan; died on 21 Mar 2013 in Orange Park, Clay County, Florida. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

In the STRIFFLER-BENKELMAN BROADCAST, Volume 9, September 2, 1946, in a column titled "Still in the Service of the U.S.A.", it was noted that Lt. Gerald Kercher went to Germany in the middle of July. He recently was transferred to Naples, Italy. His wife expects to go as soon as possible. As of the publication date of Volume 18, on September 5, 1955, he and his family were located in Wiesbaden, Germany. As of the 1959 publication date of Volume 22, he was being transfered to Stewart Field, West Point, Annapolis. In Volume 26 it was reported that he had retired from the Air Force after 23 years of service and was associated with the brokerage firm of Goodbody and Company in New London, Conn.

Waterford - On Sunday afternoon, Aug. 21, 2011, Gerald Frederick Kercher slipped the surly bonds of earth, put out his hand, and touched the face of God. He died at home in Quaker Hill as he wished.

Gerald, the third of three sons of Erwin W. and Amanda (Muck) Kercher, was born on June 9, 1924, in Cass City, Mich. He graduated from Cass City High School in 1942 and married his high school sweetheart, Frances Elizabeth Koepfgen, in 1945 at the "Little Church Around the Corner" in New York City. She died in 1993.

Gerald's interests were many and varied. From his first job after high school as a coal passer on the Great Lakes Steamship Cygnus to enlisting in the U.S. Army Air Corps, Gerald's love of his country was surpassed only by the love for his family.

During World War II, Gerald flew the B26 Martin Marauder In European and North African campaigns, as a member of the 320th Bomb Group. He was especially proud of his service during the Berlin Air Lift when he dropped thousands of pounds of food and medical supplies to the German people.

Following World War II, Gerald served as the base legal officer in Munich, Germany. Over the next 20 years, the Air Force took Gerald to Texas, Saudi Arabia, Pennsylvania, and back to Germany where he served as an agent in the Office of Special Investigation, working with Belgium and Luxemburg police. He completed his careerat bases inMassachusetts and New York. Just prior to his retirement from the Air Force in 1965, Gerald flew C-123 cargo planes, ferrying personnel and cargo to Vietnam. He retired as a major and began a very different 20-year career as a commodities broker in New London, working for Goodbody & Co., which later merged with Merrill Lynch.

In his retirement, Gerald volunteered enthusiastically for Southeastern Hospice for 18 years, stopping only in the past few weeks. He was also a tutor for Literacy Volunteers and volunteered his driving services for the American Red Cross and the local food pantry. He served as a delightful toastmaster for the First Wednesday Club and was known for his recitations and spirited singing. He was an enthusiastic member of Shortwave Radio International, attending their many conferences with special friends around the world. He was a life long Detroit Tigers fan and died happily knowing that his team was in first place. Devoted to his faith, Gerald was a member of the Safe Harbor Assembly of God Church in Uncasville.

Left behind to cherish his memory are his six children and their families, Susan and Abraham Chamie, Philip and Jet Kercher, Andrew and Wendy Kercher, Matthew Kercher, Amanda Kercher and David Weinraub, and Caroline and Craig Thurston. He was very proud of his 13 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He joins in heaven a dear granddaughter, Kathryn Frances Kercher.

Visitation hours will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 24, at the Thomas L. Neilan & Sons Funeral Home, 12 Ocean Ave., New London. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 25, at Harkness Chapel, Connecticut College.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice Southestern Connecticut, 227 Dunham St., Norwich CT 06360.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theday/obituary.aspx?n=gerald-frederick-kercher&pid=153255416&fhid=4346

Gerald married Frances Elizabeth Koepfgen on 19 Dec 1945 in New York City, New York County, New York. Frances was born on 23 May 1925 in Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan; died on 4 Feb 1993 in Waterford, New London County, Connecticut. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]