By
ANTON "TONY" J. GERICH
Born: June 1st, 1939
Died: December 21st, 2022
Location: CHR - 153 - B4
Obituary
BELLVILLE: “Champion of Industry” Anton J. “Tony” Gerich and the recipient of the 2022 Manufacturing Hall of Fame award, passed from this life into eternity at the age of 83 at 7:56p.m. December 21st in Sarasota, Florida surrounded by his family. Born June 1st 1939 in Brestovich, Yugoslavia, Tony was the seventh of nine children, six sons and three daughters, to parents, the late Joseph Gerich, who died July 31, 1991 at age 84, and the late Katherina Manheim Gerich, who died July 18, 1985 at age 79. Surviving the hardships of WWII, Tony with his parents and six siblings immigrated to Ellis Island, New York on February 14, 1952, and traveled by train to Mansfield, Ohio to start a new beginning. A true testimony of a “united family” that even the tragedy of a World War could not divide.
Tony graduated from Mansfield Senior High and worked his way through college at Ohio State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering. Meeting the love of his life on a hayride, Tony was united in marriage to Lila Brigham at First Christian Church on West 3rd Street in Mansfield Ohio.
Tony and Lila together raised their three girls Terri Lynn, Kim and Tammie.
A Design Engineer with Mansfield Thermo- Disc, for ten years, Tony never feared to face any challenge. Expanding his entrepreneurship, Tony would teach himself how to design and build trailers from fiberglass. After fifty years, Fibrecore Trailers in Mt. Gilead, Ohio still remains a leader in the manufacturing of fiberglass concession trailers.
Two Siblings proceeding Tony Gerich in death were his oldest sister Rosal Gerich Prietzel of Zittau Germany and a younger brother Gerhart Gerich.
Surviving are his wife Lila of 65 years of marriage, three daughters Terri Lynn Weaver and husband Mike of Lancaster, Tennessee: Kim Gerich of Bellville, Ohio: and Tammie Schluter and husband Dirk of Mansfield, Ohio; Three grandchildren Justin Weaver and wife Sunshine of Nashville, Tennessee; A.J. Schluter, Dylan Schluter both of Mansfield, Ohio; two great grandchildren, West and Wynn Weaver; siblings Nick Gerich, Frank Gerich, Joe Gerich (MaryAnn), Lani Gerich Koch (Robert), Loni Gerich Gauche, and Horst Gerich (Peggy).
The Gerich family will receive friends Thursday, January 5, 2022 from 4-7pm in the Lexington Avenue Snyder Funeral Home where Tony’s funeral service will be held Friday, January 6 at 11 a.m. Joe Perry will officiate and burial will follow in Mansfield Memorial Park.
The Gerich family requests memorials to Sports World Ministries, 1919 S. Post Road,
Indianapolis, IN 46239.
Online condolences may be made by visiting: SnyderFuneralHomes.com
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Anton, please visit our floral store.
ANTON "TONY" J. GERICH
Born: June 1st, 1939
Died: December 21st, 2022
Obituary
BELLVILLE: “Champion of Industry” Anton J. “Tony” Gerich and the recipient of the 2022 Manufacturing Hall of Fame award, passed from this life into eternity at the age of 83 at 7:56p.m. December 21st in Sarasota, Florida surrounded by his family. Born June 1st 1939 in Brestovich, Yugoslavia, Tony was the seventh of nine children, six sons and three daughters, to parents, the late Joseph Gerich, who died July 31, 1991 at age 84, and the late Katherina Manheim Gerich, who died July 18, 1985 at age 79. Surviving the hardships of WWII, Tony with his parents and six siblings immigrated to Ellis Island, New York on February 14, 1952, and traveled by train to Mansfield, Ohio to start a new beginning. A true testimony of a “united family” that even the tragedy of a World War could not divide.
Tony graduated from Mansfield Senior High and worked his way through college at Ohio State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering. Meeting the love of his life on a hayride, Tony was united in marriage to Lila Brigham at First Christian Church on West 3rd Street in Mansfield Ohio.
Tony and Lila together raised their three girls Terri Lynn, Kim and Tammie.
A Design Engineer with Mansfield Thermo- Disc, for ten years, Tony never feared to face any challenge. Expanding his entrepreneurship, Tony would teach himself how to design and build trailers from fiberglass. After fifty years, Fibrecore Trailers in Mt. Gilead, Ohio still remains a leader in the manufacturing of fiberglass concession trailers.
Two Siblings proceeding Tony Gerich in death were his oldest sister Rosal Gerich Prietzel of Zittau Germany and a younger brother Gerhart Gerich.
Surviving are his wife Lila of 65 years of marriage, three daughters Terri Lynn Weaver and husband Mike of Lancaster, Tennessee: Kim Gerich of Bellville, Ohio: and Tammie Schluter and husband Dirk of Mansfield, Ohio; Three grandchildren Justin Weaver and wife Sunshine of Nashville, Tennessee; A.J. Schluter, Dylan Schluter both of Mansfield, Ohio; two great grandchildren, West and Wynn Weaver; siblings Nick Gerich, Frank Gerich, Joe Gerich (MaryAnn), Lani Gerich Koch (Robert), Loni Gerich Gauche, and Horst Gerich (Peggy).
The Gerich family will receive friends Thursday, January 5, 2022 from 4-7pm in the Lexington Avenue Snyder Funeral Home where Tony’s funeral service will be held Friday, January 6 at 11 a.m. Joe Perry will officiate and burial will follow in Mansfield Memorial Park.
The Gerich family requests memorials to Sports World Ministries, 1919 S. Post Road,
Indianapolis, IN 46239.
Online condolences may be made by visiting: SnyderFuneralHomes.com
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Anton, please visit our floral store.