Thomas A. Gertz of Mesa, Arizona passed away on July 3rd at his home after a long battle with cancer. He was born on April 27th, 1945, to Donald & Eva (Widell) Gertz in Rockford, Illinois. He attended East High School in Rockford. He joined the Marine Corp in 1965 and served in Vietnam and married Joan Garland (of Monmouth, IL) in 1968.
He was very active in civic organizations in Rockford and was Chairman of the Greater Rockford Area Remodelers Council at one time. He coached Youth baseball and football for many years and those were some of his happiest times. He moved his remodeling company to Mesa, Arizona in 1986 with his partner and close friend, Randy Molander. Tom loved to hunt and fish and the family spent many summers camping in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Canada.
He is survived by his wife, Joan, and their two children, JD Gertz of Flagstaff, AZ and Kristy L. Gertz of Mesa, AZ; his brother James (Gloria) of Cottonwood, AZ; sister Karen Levinbook of Boulder, CO and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. He is predeceased by his parents and his Uncle William Widell.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org) or to the Sunshine Acres Children’s Home in Mesa (www.sunshineacres.org), which was an important organization & cause of Tom’s.
Private military services will be held at the National Veteran’s Cemetery in Cave Creek, Arizona. An open house will be held at the Gertz home for family and friends at a time to be determined.