Robert E. Gerrity
POLSON — Robert E. Gerrity, 86, of Polson died of natural causes on Nov. 3, 2006, at St. Joseph Hospital.
He was born Aug. 2, 1920, in River Falls, Wis., to Patrick and Elizabeth Gerrity. The family moved to Ray, N.D., when he was 4 years old. He attended grade and high school in Ray. He worked for Lockheed Aircraft, Burbank, Calif., for a time before WW II. During WW II he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. During his time at St. Mary's College, Calif., for pre-flight school he contacted scarlet fever and spent time in the naval hospital.
Upon finishing pre-flight, he was transferred to Pasco, Wash., for primary flight. He chose at the time to leave the Naval service and enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He went through B-29 flight engineer training and graduated as a B-29 Flight Engineer shortly before the first atomic bombs were dropped on Japan.
After the war he worked at a private airport for three years at Dickinson, N.D.
He met Anne Renner of Richardson, N.D., who was an RN at Mercy Hospital in Williston, N.D. They were married in 1947. Over the years they had eight children, Michael Gerrity of Sacramento, Calif., Dorothy Spangler of El Dorado, Calif., Nancy Gerrity, 29, killed in a private plane accident in 1980, Kathy Gerrity of Sacramento, Tom Gerrity of Galt, Calif., Jim Gerrity of Anchorage, Alaska, and Janice Sirois of Sacramento; nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
In 1950 he accepted a civil service position with the Air force. He worked at various locations. The last 16 years of his service career he worked for the 41st Rescue and Weather Reconnaissance Wing, in Sacramento. He retired in 1983. His wife Anne died of cancer in 1989.
He married Mary Ann LeBrun of Polson in August 1992.
Preceding him in death were his wife Anne Renner, parents Patrick and Elizabeth, brothers Francis and Daniel, sister Florence Sagaser and daughter Nancy.
Survivors include wife Mary Ann of Polson; brother Bernard and wife Betty of Polson, and brother-in-law George Sagaser, Federal Way, Wash.
Mass of the Christian Burial was held on Nov. 8 in the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church with Father Jim Connor and Father Gary Reller co-celebrants. Military honors followed services at the church. Interment will be held at a later date in Sacramento.