Edwin Gerik, Sr

Edwin J. Gerik, Sr., 91, of Whitney, passed away on June 16, 2014 at a Waco
hospital. A Rosary will be recited at 10:00 a.m. Monday, June 23, 2014, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Abbott, followed by Mass of Christian Burial. Burial will follow at Fatima Cemetery in Abbott. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m., Sunday, June 22, 2014 at Marshall and Marshall Funeral Directors in Whitney.

Edwin was born on October 31, 1922, in rural McLennan County near West, to Emil Joseph and Mary (Karlik) Gerik. He grew up in Aquilla and graduated from Aquilla High School. During World War II, he served his country in the U.S. Army Air Corps in the 82nd Squadron as a flight engineer in the China - Burma- India Theater. Upon returning from the war, he attended Hill Junior College before graduating from Texas Tech University with an Ag Economics degree in 1950. On July 24, 1950, he married the love of his life, Dorothy Pustejovsky, in Abbott. After graduating from Tech, he taught school in Aquilla as a math and science teacher and a boys basketball coach. In 1956, he went into the cotton ginning business with his brother, Jerry Gerik, and also farmed and ranched.

They moved to Whitney in 1959, and he became involved in the Whitney Business Community but continued his farming and ranching as well as the ginning business. He served the Whitney community as a member of WISD school board for 22 years, serving as president for many years. He was also a member of the Texas Cotton Ginners Association, the Lions Club of Whitney, the Knights of Columbus, Hill County Soil Conservation and Blackland Income Growth, the Whitney Chamber of Commerce, and also served as Director of the National Cotton Board. He was a member of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Hillsboro and served many years as a lay minister.

He enjoyed watching sports and raising wildflowers. During his retirement years, he enjoyed raising catfish and conducting fish fries for different community events. But, his greatest joy was being with his family, especially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Leona Hanzelka and Marcella Geisler and one brother, Jerry C. Gerik, Sr., and a daughter-in-law, Sandy Gerik.

He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Dorothy Gerik of Whitney, sons, Dr. Thomas Gerik and wife, Rachel, of Temple, Loretta Eubank of Corpus Christi, Edwin Gerik, Jr. and wife, Dianna, of Waxahachie, Ken Gerik and wife, Debbie, of Whitney and Dr. Jeffrey C. Gerik and wife, Caryl Anne, of Waco; grandchildren, Greg Gerik, Jonathan Gerik, Kara Richardson, Lindsey Eubank, Anne Eubank, Trey Gerik, Taylor Gerik, Jennifer Gerik, Emily Gerik, Kate Gerik, Chris Gerik, Mary Margaret Gerik; step-grandchildren Amanda and Sarah Curylo; great-grandchildren, Will and Charles Richardson, Caleb and Jace Gerik, James and Lucy Simmons; sisters Mary Trice of Waco, Edith Cernosek of West, Betty Stanislav of Plano, Margie Goldberg of Waco, Lucille Lednicky of West and Nancy Stenseth of Grand Forks, North Dakota; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM ,Sunday, June 22, 2014
Marshall & Marshall Funeral Directors in Whitney
201 North Bosque Whitney, TX 76692

Rosary

10:00 AM ,Monday, June 23, 2014
Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church
112 Thornton St. Abbott, TX, Hill 76621

Mass of Christian Burial

10:00 AM ,Monday, June 23, 2014
Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church
112 Thornton St. Abbott, TX 76621

Burial

Monday, June 23, 2014
Fatima Cemetery
Abbott , TX 76621