Raymond Gerton's Obituary
Raymond Harold Gerton, 89, passed away on Monday, June 11th, surrounded by his devoted family. He was born July 15th, 1922, to Abraham and Bertha Gerton of Flushing, New York.Ray enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942, shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War. With his basic training behind him and the hand of fate at the ready, Ray was assigned to the Quartermaster’s Corps in Puerto Rico. It was there he met Lucille who was to become his adored wife and mother to their 6 children.When the war ended, Ray returned to the States, receiving his honorable discharge at Pittsburg, California. During his time away, Ray's family left New York, coming to the San Francisco Bay Area, looking for a milder climate and better job opportunities.Ray decided to settle in the bay area with his family, soon after Lucille joined him. They were married in San Leandro in 1946. Shortly after starting a family, Ray and Lucille moved to San Lorenzo. After their four boys and two girls left home to start their own families, Ray and Lucille moved to Castro Valley in 1979. For 38 years, Ray was a salesman of ladies' footwear in the San Francisco Bay Area for Karl's Shoes, City of Paris department store and later, as head of Naturalizer Shoes at Union Square. In addition to footwear, Ray was also an independent businessman with varied, successful ventures. When his sons were young, Ray became active in Boy Scouts of America. Ray and Lucille were active members of the American Fuchsia Society and Buon Tempo for many years. After being married for almost 60 years, Lucille, sadly, passed away in 2006. Theirs was a union filled with love and devotion and was an inspiration to those around them. Ray leaves his large, loving family with many wonderful memories of family dinners, holiday celebrations, and laughter. He is survived by a brother, six children, 17 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren on their way.A memorial service will be at 1pm Saturday, June 16 at the Chapel of the Chimes, 32992 Mission Boulevard, Hayward. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to the National Coalition for Heart and Stroke Research.
What’s your fondest memory of Raymond?
What’s a lesson you learned from Raymond?
Share a story where Raymond's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Raymond you’ll never forget.
How did Raymond make you smile?