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Gerda
Andrew Gerda and his wife Anna lived in Slovakia (variously
reported as Czeckoslovakia and Austria.) At some
point, they traveled to the United States, but chose to return to the old
country.
Children:
Andrew, b. in Slovakia, MIA in WWI
(info from George Vajda)
Michael, b. 24 Sep 1883 in Bretsiotsi [or Breciovca, or Brecejovca], Kencany [Kavecany?], Slovakia; made trans-Atlantic trip to US in
1908, 1914, 1920 and 1922; occupation of "steward" and "farm
laborer" in Ellis Island records [see www.ellisisland.org]; m. Maria; later
of Bason [sic], NY; sons Mike and Joe; d. Feb 1968
in Basom [sic], Genesee Co., NY
John, b. ~1888 in Slovakia (see
below)
Frank, b. 1892 in Slovakia,
resided 3425 E. 110th, Cleveland; worked as molder in 1920-21 and d. soon
after in 1922, buried Calvary Cemetery, Cleveland, OH.
Alexander F., b.~1897
in Slovakia, imm. 1912, resided 9202 Aetna Rd.,
10323 Union Ave., and 3439 E. 104th St., Cleveland; m. Elizabeth Ondercin, had sons Joseph (b. 1917 in OH) and Michael;
worked as a molder; d. Aug 1955, funeral at Nativity Church.
Verona Elizabeth, [also variously
listed as Veronica] b. 6 Jan 1904 in Bretsiotsi [or
Breciovca, or Brecejovca],
Chariska, Slovakia; imm.
5 Sept 1920 at the age of 17 on the ship France
out of LeHavre, France [see www.ellisisland.org];
in 1924 she was a machine operator and was a boarder at 10301 Elwell Ave. m. George Vajda and
had children George and Anna May.
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John Gerda, b. ~1888 in Slovakia, came to the
U.S. in 1909 (according to the 1920 census.) On 26 Sept. 1911 in Cuyahoga
County, OH he married Anna Weber,
who had herself only come to the U.S. in 1910. They lived on E. 104th
Street in Cleveland. In 1920, John was a carpenter in a steel mill. On 16
Dec 1932, John became a naturalized US citizen.
In 1923, John owned a restaurant and bar called Gerda's
Tavern at 10600 Broadway in Cleveland. When John died on Monday, 18 Feb.
1938 (funeral at Nativity Church 21 Feb), Gerda's
Tavern passed in ownership to Anna and oldest son "Johnnie" while
son Joe managed the business. John is buried at Calvary Cemetery in
Cleveland, OH. Anna remaried to George H. Horrocks and lived at 9903 Robinson Ave. She died
Sunday, 1 Feb 1948; funeral service at Saints Peter & Paul's Church on Turney Road in Garfield Heights, and was buried at
Calvary Cemetery on 4 Feb.
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Children:
John Andrew "Johnnie",
b. 12 Aug 1911 and baptised
18 Aug. 1911. He married Sophie D. Kaczmarek, who
was b. 6 May 1898 and d. 15 Mar 1988 in Cleveland; He d. 16 Mar 1962, buried
Calvary Cem.
Joseph John "Joe", b. 14
Mar 1916 in Cleveland, OH (see below)
This photo from genealogist
Sally Weber (Emilsgal@aol.com) shows a family wedding with the Gerda family
(John, Anna, and sons Johnnie and Joe) on the left. Can you help us to
identify the others in the photo? (Click for larger version.)
Joseph John "Joe" Gerda, b. 14 Mar 1916 and baptized 19 Mar
1916 in the Church of the Nativity in Cleveland, OH. He went to grade school
at Nativity and Roosevelt in Garfield Heights. He attended Garfield Heights
High School ('34) where he somehow managed to catch the eye of a pretty
cheerleader named Lois. However, Lois was from a Lutheran family and he was
Catholic. He consulted with a religious advisor about what to do. He was told
to forget Lois and marry a good Catholic girl. He m. 10 Oct 1938 in Garfield Hts, OH to Lois
Louise Rahe. He attended night courses at Cleveland
College. He co-managed Gerda's Tavern until it had
financial difficulties and closed in 1946(?). He converted to Lutheranism in
1958 and was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Garfield Heights. He
d. 6 Jan 1979 in Cleveland, OH and is buried at St. John's Cemetery in
Garfield Heights, OH.
Children:
Jerome Joseph "Jerry",
[living] (see below)
James John "Jim", [living]
Jerome
Joseph "Jerry" Gerda,
[living]
Children:
Janice Joyce, [living]
Jeffrey Jerome, [living] m. Ronda Hoffman. [living]
They have two boys, Jordan Jeffrey
and Joshua Wayne.
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