Gunther Albert Birkert's Obituary
Gunther Albert Robert Birkert passed peacefully on Saturday, March 25th after years of heart & respiratory problems. He was born 9/19/1946 in Schwabish Hall, Germany to Albert & Frieda Birkert. The family immigrated to Canada in 1954, eventually settling in Winnipeg. After a brief stint in The Canadian Army, Gunther immigrated with his parents to Oakland CA, graduating from Oakland High School. His US Army years followed spent primarily in Washington DC.Gunther bartended & managed some notable establishments during his 35 plus years in the business: The White House & The Fox in Oakland; 20 plus years at Sunol & Castlewood Country Clubs. In Pleasanton, he worked The Sunshine Saloon, The Pleasanton Hotel & The Black Angus, among others. He helped open His Lordship’s in Berkeley, opened Apple Annie’s in San Francisco. He managed & tended bar at the Next Stage Saloon in Hayward as well as working The Waterfall & Dino’s in Castro Valley. He was the 1st person to sneak a female past the then powerful Bartenders Union into a working bartender position in The County of Alameda.He is preceded in death by his son, Robert, both parents & his sister Gisela & leaves behind his sister Christa, granddaughter Jordan & great-granddaughters Bailey & Harmony; his wife of 22 years Susan, step-daughter Carolina & nieces Heidi, Anita & Sonja.
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