It is with great sadness that the family of Walter Henry Gerdes, loving husband, father of three, and grandfather of seven, announces his passing on July 5, 2020 in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina at the age of 85. Walt was born in Brooklyn, New York, on March 1, 1935 to German immigrants Henry and Anna Gerdes. Walt grew up Linden NJ and graduated from Linden High School in 1953. Walt attended the University of Michigan where he received a BS in Aeronautical Engineering and a BS in Engineering Mathematics, graduating in 1958. While in college, Walt joined the Navy ROTC and earned a scholarship to help pay his way through college. After college in June 1958, Walt joined the Navy full-time as a Naval Aviator and learned how to fly. After 18 months in the training command he received his wings and flew the S2F Grumman Tracker in squadron VS-30 in Norfolk, VA. Six months later he was transferred to squadron VS22, which operated off the USS Lake Champlain (CVS 39) in Quonset Pt, RI. It was during this rotation that he met his future wife Sally Fitch. It was love at first sight for them both and they were married on August 26, 1961 in Leonia, NJ by Rev. John Fitch, Sally's oldest brother. They had three children, Donna, Laura, and Glenn. In 1963, Walt and Sally moved their family to Shelton, CT and Walt transferred from Active Duty to Naval Air Reserves. While in the Reserves, he operated out of NARTU Lakehurst, NJ where he flew the S3F/D/E in squadrons VS-751, VS-753, VS-51, and VS-73. He was later assigned Commanding Officer of the OPCON Unit in support of the VS operations. His final Navy assignment was to a Weapons System Unit in charge of all reserve helicopters, where he retired as Executive Officer from the Navy in 1979 after serving 4 years active duty and 17.5 years in the Reserves. His final rank was Commander. After leaving Active Duty, he started work as an Aeronautical Engineer at Sikorsky Aircraft, a helicopter manufacturer, in Stratford, CT. He started work in the Performance Design Section and after three years, transferred to the Handling Qualities Design Section. In 1971 Walt received his Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Bridgeport. His major assignment at Sikorsky was Supervisor of Handling Qualities Design on the UH-60A BLACK HAWK as well as all of the 50 or so derivatives of the H-60. He was very proud of his time working on the Black Hawk and recently penned in a note to his grandson saying, "I found that being a Navy pilot and landing on an aircraft carrier was very exciting, but I have to admit that helping to design a helicopter, the Black Hawk, and watching its first flight, was equally as exciting." Walt and Sally lived in Shelton, CT for 34 years until he retired from Sikorsky in 1997 at the age of 62. They also had a vacation home on Lake Contoocook in Rindge, NH. Upon retiring, they moved to Murrells Inlet, SC, where they bought a home on the 13th hole in a golf course community just outside of Myrtle Beach. They have enjoyed their retirement while playing many rounds of golf, traveling overseas, and visiting their children, grand-children, and friends. In 2021, they would’ve been married for 60 years. Walt was a loving Husband, Father, Grandfather, and Friend. He loved his family and was extremely proud of each of his children and grandchildren. He loved to receive updates on their lives and hear details about the milestones they reached. He would’ve done anything for them. Walt will be lovingly remembered by his wife Sally Gerdes of Murrells Inlet, SC, and his children Donna Hooe of Savannah, GA, Laura (Bruce) Hampton of Columbia, MD, and Glenn (Elizabeth) Gerdes of Woodstock, GA, and his seven grandchildren, Marisa Hooe, Robert Hooe, Jr., Adam Hampton, Emily (Jason) Riggin, Alex Gerdes, Spencer Gerdes and Allison Gerdes, and his sister Lillian Mershon of Clinton, TN. Due to the times we are in, a private family celebration of life will take place at a later date. The family is asking that in place of flowers, donations be made to the Wounded Warriors Project. Their website is: www.WoundedWarriorProject.org
Burroughs Funeral Home (843-651-1440) of Murrells Inlet is assisting the family.
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