WINTER HARBOR – The Rev. Herman D. Gerrish, 92, of Main Street, died Sunday, Jan. 8, 2006, at his residence. He was born Oct. 27, 1913, in Winter Harbor, the son of the late Woodbury and Ludella (Keller) Gerrish. He graduated from Winter Harbor High School. At the age of 19, he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior in his home church. He then worked at the S.D. Warren Paper Mill in Westbrook, then he returned to his hometown to work at the local telephone company as an operator. When World War II came, Rev. Gerrish volunteered to serve in the U.S. Army in Belgium, France, Holland and Germany. The 9th Army in which he served received a Medal of Honor for freeing the Dutch from the Germans. He served for three years with a staff sergeant rating. He then attended Bob Jones University in Greenville, S.C. and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in religion. The Rev. Gerrish’s first parish was his hometown church, Birch Harbor Baptist and the Sullivan Harbor Baptist. He was ordained in his home church May 22, 1957. After serving six years in this parish, he was called to the Pine Street Baptist Church in Milford, Mass. He was married to Goldie M. Stacker of Milo, a teacher at Gordon College in Wenham, Mass. He then was called to the First Baptist Church of Medford, Mass. to be associate pastor in the visitation program and to work with the youth. While serving there he lost his wife, Goldie, to cancer in 1969. Five years later, he met and married Marguerite S. Goodwin of Charleston, an elementary teacher for 44 years. The Rev. Gerrish was then recalled to the Sullivan Harbor Baptist Church where he served for two years before retiring. After his retirement, he served as interim pastor in the following Baptist churches, Franklin, Milo, Lakeview, Essex Street, Bangor and Moses Corner, Corinna and Dexter. He shared 31 years of marriage with Marguerite (Smith) Gerrish. In addition to his wife, family members include, four nieces, Frances Larson of Winter Harbor, Dorothy Drew and husband, Herbert, of Old Orchard Beach, Marie Clark of Gardiner and Nita Arey of Wichita Falls, Texas; one nephew, Robert Gerrish and wife, Edna, of South Gouldsboro. He had several great-nieces, great-nephews and cousins and a host of friends including, Dale Pineo; and a special friend and caregiver, Larry D. Smith Sr. of Winter Harbor. He was predeceased by three sisters, Beatrice of Portland, Ethel of Westbrook and Louise of Winter Harbor; five brothers, Frank of South Gouldsboro, Ralph of Winter Harbor, Ellis of Winthrop, twin brother, Norman of Portland and Donald of Lakeland, Fla. He was also predeceased by a sister-in-law, Adalaide Gerrish of Portland; a niece, Louise Stevens and husband, Robert, both of Portland; and nephew, Wayne Arey of Wichita Falls, Texas. Services will be held 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, at the First Baptist Church of Winter Harbor. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited and may call noon Thursday until the hour of the service at the church. Spring burial will be in the Evergreen Cemetery in Milo. In lieu of flowers, those who wish may make donations to the Hospital Chaplaincy Service Inc., 2912 Western Ave., Hampden, ME 04444. Arrangements are by the Bragdon-Kelley-Campbell Funeral Home, Milbridge.
HERMAN D. GERRISH
