George Gerhardt

George Gerhardt, 85, passed away on November 30, 2023, at CHI St. Alexius in Bismarck.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, December 7, 2023, at 10:30 AM at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Bismarck. Burial will follow at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery.

Visitation will take place on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, from 5:00-7:00 PM at Weigel Funeral Home, Mandan, with a Moose Ritual beginning at 7:00 PM and Rosary/Parish Vigil following the ritual. Visitation will continue at the church one hour prior to the service on Thursday.

George was born to George and Helen (Schaff) Gerhardt on August 16, 1938, on a farm near Flasher ND. George completed the 8th grade at Peter and Paul Catholic Boarding School in Fallon ND. In 1957, George joined the US Air Force where he received his GED. While in the Air Force, he was stationed at Lakeland Air Force base for Basic Training, Stead AFB in Reno Nevada for Advanced Individual Training after which he was assigned to Évreux-Fauville AFB in France as his duty assignment. George was discharged from the USAF in 1961 as an Airman 1st Class.

After the Air Force, George worked for the Firestone plant in California where he bought his pride and joy, a 1963 Pontiac Catalina, that he drove right out of the factory and still owned to this day. He returned to ND in 1963 where he married Linda (Lockner) Gerhardt in May of 1964. George worked with his brother, John, in his construction company and assisted with the construction of Christ the King School in Mandan.

George attended Bismarck State College and graduated in 1969 with an Associate of Arts Degree in computers sciences and was one of the first to graduate from BSC in that program. During this time George developed close friendships with classmates that carried through the years because most of his class worked for the State of ND.

In 1970, George started with the State of ND with the Information Technology Department as a programmer and systems analyst with many of his friends from college. In 1994, George started Gerhardt Storage in Mandan. He retired from the State of ND in 1998 and then worked with the legislative Council until 2002.

George was a Member of the Moose and Elks Club and was also a member of the Dakota Woodturners. George enjoyed many activities including traveling, hunting and fishing, wood turning, building and repairing items, working on the farm and being on the land, and working and teaching his sons.

George is survived by his wife, Linda L., and his sons, George J. and Scott A. Gerhardt.

George was proceeded in death by his son, Mark Gerhardt; parents, George and Helen (Schaff) Gerhardt; brothers, Pete (Irene), Clem, Tony, John (Betty), and Chris (Leona); sister, Annie; in-laws, Joe and Eva Lockner; and brother-in-law, Douglas Lockner.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Friends of NDGS Paleo organization (www.ndpaleofriends.org) or the Dream Center of Bismarck (www.dreamcenterbismarck.org).

To view the livestream of George Gerhardt's funeral mass, click on the box below titled "Livestream" or visit Cathedral of the Holy Spirit's website.