Patricia K. Gerber

Patricia K. Gerber, nee Keys, a local church and civic leader for more than 50 years, died Oct. 10, 2024. She was 95.

A resident of Fairlawn since 1961, Patricia held leadership positions in numerous organizations in her Catholic parish and diocese, as well as in civic groups in the region.

She was a child of the Depression, born in Lafayette, Indiana in 1929, a few months before the Stock Market crashed. She and her sister Marilyn, nicknamed Pete, were local childhood entertainers from the mid-1930s to the mid-1940s. They appeared as Pat and Pete on local radio talent shows and performed for civic organizations and church groups. Pete danced, and Pat recited popular poetry of the day by authors such as James Whitcomb Riley and Ernest Thayer. Her rendition of Casey at the Bat was a family favorite.

Precocious and bright, Patricia excelled in math in elementary and high school and dreamed of attending college. With money she saved from high school jobs, she attended Purdue University, and graduated with a math degree in 1951. She met her husband Jesse E. Gerber while they were working at the Piggly Wiggly grocery store, she a high school student and he just returned from World War II. They married in 1951 after their respective graduations from Purdue.

Before starting a family, Patricia worked at Fernald Feed Materials Production Center in Hamilton, Ohio in the accountability department as a statistician in the early 1950s. The company had contracts with the Atomic Energy Commission.

Work brought the couple to Fairlawn, where Patricia was a stay-at-home mother of three daughters, she was active in volunteer work and worked from home as a bookkeeper for several years.

A devout Catholic with a deep spirituality, Patricia was an active member of St. Hilary Parish in Fairlawn. She attended daily Mass, was a regular reader, trained lectors and coordinated liturgies. She led Bible studies and faith sharing groups and participated in parish retreat programs. After the death of her husband Jesse in 1988, she joined a Surviving Spouses
Group, which she led for many years.

She was past president of regional and diocesan chapters of the National Council of Catholic Women, as well as past president and treasurer of the Women’s Auxiliary Board of Catholic Social Services. She also served as a Catholic representative to the Akron Area Association of Churches and Interfaith Council.

In civic life, Patricia worked on local political campaigns, community development projects and civic events. She was past president of Fairlawn City Women’s Club and chaired the Fairlawn Fourth of July parades in 1967 and 1968. As a member of the City of Fairlawn Park Board in the 1970s, she was instrumental in the creation of Croghan, Griffith and Bicentennial parks.

She loved to hike with her family through Akron’s Metro-parks, bird book and official hiking stick in hand. She organized family camping trips throughout the country and served as a Girl Scout leader in the 1970s. She was an avid bridge player and loved to read.

For the past five years she was a resident of the Village of St. Edwards in Fairlawn, where she participated in the choir and served as lector at weekday liturgies. The family extends its gratitude to the staff of the Village of St. Edward and Northeast Ohio Hospice for their loving care of our mother.

Patricia was preceded by her husband Jesse E. Gerber and her son-in-law Phillip Ryan. She is survived by her daughters, Jennifer Ryan, Anna Hall (Scott) and Barbara Ballenger (Jesse); grandchildren, Angie Higginbotham (Ross), Stephen Hall, Jesse Ballenger and Hannah Ballenger; and great-granddaughter, Maria Higginbotham.

Calling hours will be Friday October 18th at Ciriello and Carr Funeral Home, 39 S. Miller Rd. in Fairlawn from 4:00 to 7:00.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday October 19th beginning at 10:00 at St. Hilary Roman Catholic Church, 2750 West Market Street in Fairlawn, with interment following at Holy Cross Cemetery.

Memorial donations can be made to St Hilary Parish Foundation, The Village of St. Edwards or the Embrace Clinic and Care Center.

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