Elona Claire Gerber, 88, of Brevard County Florida, died peacefully on April 10th, after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s.
Elona was born in Elyria, Ohio and grew up in Vermilion. She married Art Gerber, in November of 1956. They were both longtime residents of Vermilion and raised their children there.
Growing up on Lake Erie she enjoyed boating and waterskiing. Mom and Dad always had a boat and summer weekends were spent on the lake.
She also had a beautiful voice and loved to sing and play the piano, singing in several nieces’ weddings, solos with the church choir and many other events, including her high school class reunions.
Mom had a strong faith and was a charter member of Trinity Lutheran Church of Vermilion Ohio. After moving to Florida, she continued to practice her faith at Faith Lutheran Church in Merritt Island Florida.
Elona worked for Wakefield lighting, then ITT lighting as a Human Resources manager in Vermilion. When she and Art moved to Florida in 1981, she continued her career in human resources. She retired from United Space Alliance when the shuttle program was retired. During her time with the space program, she got her bachelor’s degree from Barry University. She was so proud of that accomplishment.
After retiring she enjoyed twenty more years in Florida and always commented on how beautiful it was, how warm it was and how lucky she was to live here.
She is lovingly remembered by her daughter Cynthia (Gerber) Rawson of Rockledge, her son Thomas Gerber and his wife Jennifer of Merritt Island, her grandchildren Scott Rawson, Cole Gerber and Grace Gerber and her brother Eldon Peck of Vermilion.
She will be laid to rest next to her husband, Art in Florida Memorial Gardens in Rockledge FL.