Payne County OK Obit for: James N. Gerard ========================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ========================================================================== Submitted to the archives by:Bill Cook, billcook44@aol.com Date submitted: 2/16/2003 Transcribed from the Ponca City News, http://www.poncacitynews.com/ *********************************************************************** James N. Gerard SAND SPRINGS -- James N. Gerard, Sand Springs resident, died Nov. 14, 2002, at St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa. He was 77. The funeral will be Monday, Nov. 18, at Sand Springs United Methodist Church, 319 N. Main, with the Rev. Ken Tobler officiating. Burial will follow in Harrell Cemetery under the direction of Mobley Funeral Home of Sand Springs. James N. Gerard was born March 2, 1925, in Claremore, the son of Ronald E. and Ruth Gerard. He attended schools in Drumright, enlisting in the U.S. Marines in 1943, during World War II. He served in Okinawa, returning to Drumright where he graduated from high school. On Aug. 3, 1943, he married Roberta Cargill in Drumright. He graduated from Oklahoma A&M College in Stillwater with a degree in music. They moved to Pryor where he served as high school band director for nine years. During this time, he was called back into military service with the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. He was awarded the Purple Heart medal for injuries received on Heartbreak Ridge and a medical discharge. He served as Cushing High School band director for six years prior to moving to Leigh High in Los Gatos, Calif., in 1965. During his time at Leigh High, his bands did two European tours. He retired as music supervisor for Campbell Union School District at San Jose, Calif., in 1984. The Gerards resided in Santa Cruz, Calif., prior to moving to Westport on Lake Keystone in 1991. They resided in Sand Springs for the past two years. He was a member of Sand Springs United Methodist Church where he was actively involved in the church choir, band, Methodist Men and TNT Sunday School class. He played the baritone in the Sandite Sound Band and the Tulsa Community Band. Survivors include his wife Roberta "Bobbie" Gerard of the home in Sand Springs; two sons, Ronald L. Gerard and wife Nancy of Kalispell, Mont., and Sgt. Maj. James Richard Gerard and wife Jennifer of Cornwall, N.Y.; one daughter, Natha Jean Kelly and husband Stephen of Parker, Colo.; eight grandchildren, Toni Gerard and James Gerard, both of San Jose, Calif., Nathan Gerard of Cornwall, N.Y., Ryan, Robyn and Reece Kelly of Parker, Colo., Christy Driscoll of Cornwall, N.Y., and Joanna Hanson and husband Bill of Saugerties, N.Y.; one great-granddaughter, Chloe Hanson of Saugerties, N.Y.; two sisters, Ruth Ann Hutchinson and husband Clem of Tulsa and Esther Rader and husband Don of Canadian, Texas; two sisters-in-law, Beverly Gerard of Anadarko and Nadine Frisby of Ponca City; numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives. Casket bearers will be nephews, Jamie Hutchinson, Michael Seals, Scott Seals, Blake Seals, Matthew Frisby and Aaron Frisby. Honorary casket bearers will be Doyle Jenkins, Wayland Kirkes, Damon Reed, Carl Shipman, Floyd Sorrels, Tot Brown, Kemal Saied, Bill Thomas, Bill Forsythe, Lloyd Linde and Max Fox. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Published Friday, November 15, 2002 *********************************************************************** copyright USGenwb 2003 Ponca City News, http://www.poncacitynews.com/ http://www.usgwarchives.net/ ***********************************************************************