WERNER F. GERLACH

Werner F. Gerlach, 91, resident of San Angelo for 26 years, died Friday, November 2, 2007, after being blessed with good health and a happy active life for many years. He loved his Lord, his family, as well as his many friends who loved and admired him greatly. He was born in Albany, NY. on April 16, 1916 to Heinrich Bernard and Amanda Louisa Gerlach. At the age of 5, he, his parents and brother, Carl, and his sister, Gertrude, moved to Ashland, Ohio. His mother died when he was eight years old. Later his father married Augusta Walter and she mothered him during the following formative years. He attended elementary school and Ashland High School and the Case School of Applied Science in Cleveland, Ohio. He was married to Celia L. Senseman, on December 31, 1938 at the Park Street Brethren Church, Ashland, Ohio and they were blessed with almost 69 years of happiness together. For 42 years he and his wife were members of St. Stephens's Lutheran Church, and their successors, St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Washington, D.C., and have been members at Calvary Lutheran Church here in San Angelo, since 1981. For over 38 years he was a member of the Lutheran Laity Movement; was a frequent delegate to the assemblies of the Lutheran Church of America, the Maryland Synod, the United Lutheran Church of America Assemblies in 1956 and 1958; and in 1988 he was a delegate to the first National Assembly of America of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. He served on the boards of the Gettysburg Seminary from 1959 to 1961, and the Texas Lutheran University from 1992 to 1996. He also served on the board of Project Dignidad from 2002. During his many years attending these three Lutheran Churches he held many varied positions; as councilman and president of the church council; as treasurer; and as chairman of many different committees; as well as singing in the choir. He was employed at Braden Sutphin Ink Company as a color matcher and technical service person from 1935 to 1939 when he moved to Washington D.C. where from 1939 until 1974 he was employed by Capitol Printing Ink Company, first as a color matcher, then as superintendent from 1964 until 1974 as vice-president for research and manufacturing. During those years; he was responsible for the quality of all the ink used by the National Geographic Magazine, as well as many other prestigious magazines; he served as president of the National Printing Ink Research Institute; and a director for the National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers. In 1974 he started his own consultation service, Gerlach Graphic Consultations, consulting with ink makers, printers and pigment and paper manufactures all over the United States and in many European countries. In 1979 he created Techno-Graphic Instruments for the distributions of printability testers imported from Amsterdam, Holland. While a consultant he served on the Board of Directors of the Association of Graphic Arts Consultants. He retired in 1989. Werner is known worldwide for his work in printing ink technology. His research led to the development of many specialized inks used throughout the industry. During his 54 years in the ink industry he received many awards; the Ault Award, which is the most prestigious award in the printing ink industry and also the Printing Ink Pioneer Award, both from the National Association of Printing Ink Manufactures; the Distinguished Service Award from the National Printing Ink Research Institute; Master Ink Technologist from the New York Printing Ink Productions Club; and the Technical Association of Graphic Arts Honors Award, Rochester, NY. He is survived by his wife, Celia and their daughters; Diana L. Cooper of Beltsville, MD. and Joyce O'Connell and her husband, Jim of San Angelo; by their grandchildren: Edward Cooper of North Potomac, MD.; Dorothy L. Aydin and her husband Bulent of Dubai; Lt. Col. Brian O'Connell and his wife, Nuray of Layton, Utah; Senior Chief Matthew O'Connell and his wife, Brittany of Portland, TX.; Amanda and her husband, Sgt. Ross Bogard of Ansbach, Germany and by ten great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister, Frieda Stelling of San Angelo and his sister-in-law, Lovina Resick of Cape Canaveral, FL. And many nieces and nephews. He was a devoted husband, brother, father and grandfather and will be greatly missed by those who knew him. He has gone to prepare a place for us! We hope he is dancing! The family is going to receive friends between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday at their residence, Royal Estates, 6101 Grand Court Road #117. Do not mourn his death, but rather celebrate his life at a memorial service 11:00 AM Wednesday November 7, 2007 at Calvary Lutheran Church with Dr. Reverend Alan Williams officiating. In lieu of flowers; memorials may be made to the Calvary Lutheran Church at 3231 College Hills Blvd, San Angelo, Texas 76904 or to the Werner F. and Celia L. Gerlach Scholarship Fund at Angelo Statue University at 2601 West Ave. N., San Angelo, Texas 76904