Karl Heinz Gebert

Karl Gebert, age 84 of Garnett, Kansas, passed away on Wednesday, May 12, 2010, at Olathe Medical Center in Olathe, Kansas. He was born on April 20, 1926, in Abilene, Texas, the son of Willie and Frieda (Ermish) Gebert. At the age of 10 his family moved to Berlin, Germany, where he completed his education. He got to see the Olympics in 1936 where Jesse Owens was honored. He attended trade school to become a machinist. Karl worked as an interpreter in Germany for the U.S. Civil Services for two years. Because he was a minor when he was drafted into the German army, he never lost his American citizenship. He was the first American to enlist in the US military in Marburg, Germany in 1948. He served in the #216 Chemical Corps, until he was honorably discharged in 1952. Karl was united in marriage to Lois Gifford on August 19, 1951, in Brighton, Colorado. This union was blessed with two children. Following his time in the service Karl went to work as a machinist at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal in Denver, Colorado. He then worked as an instrument maker at the National Bureau of Standards in Boulder, Colorado; it was there that he received the National Crittenden Award before retiring in 1981. Karl then supervised the machine shop at Colorado University for 9 years. In 1991 they moved to Garnett, Kansas where Karl continued to make glassworking tools in his shop until a few years ago. Karl was a member of the First Christian Church. He had a love for aircraft, while in Germany he studied to be a glider pilot. He earned his private pilot's license in 1955. He logged many hours flying. His passion for his work, designing and inventing precluded him from too many hobbies. Due to the fact that he could repair or fix anything, he stayed very busy. He will be dearly missed by his family as he always led by example. He was preceded in death by his parents Willie and Frieda Gebert; and his brother, Manfred Gebert. Karl is survived by his wife, Lois Gebert of the home; one son, Kirk Gebert and wife Lisa of Carbondale, Colorado; one daughter, Karla Ristow and husband David of Seattle, Washington; two grandsons, Jonathan Ristow and wife Shawna of Olympia, Washington and Micah Ristow and wife Sarah of Raymond, Washington.