Roger Wilson Gerth

Birth date: Feb 15, 1941 Death date: Oct 14, 2008

Roger Wilson Gerth was born February 15, 1941 and died October 14, 2008 at his home. A native of Estelline, SD and a longtime resident of Mandeville, LA. He was a master carpenter and his beautiful cabinetry work is in many fine Read Obituary

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Gary Gerth

883w ago

I am Roger's brother, about 3 years younger than him. His life had many chapters,each pretty contrasting. First there was his conservative rural upbringing in farm life in eastern South Dakota, where we grew up and shared my best memories: when we each had our own horse and once he had to rescue me when I was pinned beneath my fallen mount. Then he was gone to a private academy high school and later college, where he started coming west to Idaho during summers and worked on a "Hot Shot" fire fighting crew which led to his 10 plus years involvement with the U.S. Forest Service Smoke jumpers in which he had over 150 jumps with only one injury. In the course of that time he made a great many interesting acquaintances in various areas in the West. Apparently his post-smoke jumper experience landed him for a time working with cargo drops in southeast Asia during the Viet Nam war. Then he emerged making his living like he started out: Only instead if horses in SD, it was driving a mule cart in the French Quarter of NO. During his many years working in the carpenter trades, he prided himself on an annual September trip alternating between the southwest and northern rockies in which he roughed it out camping in a tent for at least 20 years right up to the fall of 2008.

Ron Rust

885w ago

I am one of Roger's many cousins. Roger, his brother Gary, and my two brothers David and Richard, grew up together in South Dakota in the 1950's. My mother Ellen Gerth Rust, 90, who still lives in South Dakota, was Roger's godmother.
Roger was an extremely interesting person who was pretty much fearless. He traveled through Europe in the 60's going to places behind the Iron Curtin where no Americans had been since the war. I recall a goatskin Spanish wine flask which he used with great amusement when he returned. It had the hair side on the inside and had to be kept full of wine or otherwise the hair would come out and instead of a mouthful of wine you would receive a mouthful of hair.
Roger will be fondly remembered by all of us who grew up with him. Our best wishes and prayers for his Louisiana friends and his relatives everywhere.

Robert E. Williams

885w ago

Roger came to us as a craftsman to help us rebuild our home after Katrina but in the year we had the privilege of knowing him, he became a friend. Roger was one of those rare people who enrich our lives just by knowing him. We will miss him.

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