Kenneth Ray Gerdes

Kenneth Ray Gerdes January 3, 1945-January 1, 2020 Kenny Gerdes is finally enjoying taking in deep breaths of God's Goodness as he celebrates this new decade in his Heavenly Home. We only hope the Good Lord has some things that need to be fixed because Kenny's busy hands delight in making everything work just a little better. Kenny was born in Coffeyville, Kansas to Norma Johanna Lange and Wilbert George Gerdes where they were stationed as Wilbert served his country in the U.S. Army. While Kenny was young, his family moved from their family home in LaGrange, Texas to Angleton where his dad worked at the new Dow Chemical plant and Kenny attended Northside Elementary. During his years there, he met his future bride, Phyllis Kay Davlin, enjoyed playing Angleton Little League for the Yankees, shooting his b.b. gun and spending time with his large German family where he loved collecting the deposits for beer bottles from the big family dances, where his dad often played in the band. During summers, he enjoyed spending time in Warrenton, Texas, where both sets of his grandparents and several cousins lived. He had great fun working with his grandpa Fritz Gerdes at the Warrenton Mill grinding corn into cornmeal and making sugar cane into molasses. Across the street was Max Zapp's store, and at age six, he had his first job, candling eggs. There, he and one of his favorite cousins, Carol Ann, spent countless hours playing and getting into mischief. During his high school years, Kenny enjoyed working with the great folks at the Angleton Lumber Company and at the A&M Experiment Station. He ran track and pitched on the baseball team. Years later, as Nolan Ryan began his rise to fame, Kenny's friends reminded him of the high school game where he had outpitched that Nolan Ryan. Of course, he was a senior and Nolan was a sophomore, but still, it was a fun claim to fame. Kenny was voted friendliest his senior year… a title that fit him perfectly the rest of his life. Kenny's family were charter members of St. John's Lutheran Church of Angleton, where Kenny and Phyllis were eventually married in June of 1969. After Kenny graduated from Angleton high school in 1963, he attended Wharton County Junior College, but soon decided to follow his father's footsteps and joined the US Air Force. His cousin and great friend, Jimmy Havemann, had been the first Houston area youth to die in Vietnam. Kenny felt drawn to help end that war. He spent his fourth year of service in Cam Rahn Bay and Saigon at the rank of Staff Sargent serving as a Ground Aircraft Tech. The service offered many opportunities. He especially enjoyed getting to see much of the world, spending time in Australia, Hawaii, numerous other islands and much of Europe. He was honorably discharged on Christmas Eve of 1967. He returned home and began working at Heath Refrigeration and dating his old friend Phyllis. The following year, he worked for the US Geological Survey where his travels often took him to Hunstville, where Phyllis was completing her senior year of college. Kenny and Phyllis were married soon after she graduated. This past June, they celebrated 50 years of Heaven on Earth. Along with their daughter, Sydney Leigh, always a Daddy's girl, and the center of his life, they lived the idyllic small town life at 614 N. Tinsley before moving to their weekend home on Bastrop Bayou to enjoy their retirement. There, Kenny had a passion for barbecuing, designing, building, repairing, boating, fishing, mowing and improving the functioning of everything he touched. Relaxation time came with a drink in hand, swinging or rocking, and listening to Delbert McClinton or good country music while watching bait and fish jump in the water and enjoying the shore birds, beautiful sunsets, full moons and taking time to smell the trout slick. For the last 23 years of his life, Kenny's grandsons Sam and Ben have been his special pride and joy. He loved attending their scouting activities, sporting events, hunting trips and FFA shows. Most of all, he treasured spending time with them at his house… teasing and horsing around, teaching them about building, mechanical and other "man" things, working together on projects around the house and just plain kicking back for a good conversation. He was so proud watching them grow into the polite, helpful, fun, hard working men they have become. During his life, Kenny served in many capacities… as a little league coach, Junior Achievement advisor, member of the Angleton Noon Lions Board of Directors, a lifetime member of the Brazoria County Fair Association, member of the Angleton Planning and Zoning Committee and numerous committees and the church council for St. John's Lutheran Church of Angleton among many more. Kenny spent his first few years of married life working at Ellington Air Force Base and serving in the Air Force Reserves, enjoying driving his yellow Volkswagon Bug or his motorcycle to work every day. Most of his career was spent as part of the fine homegrown Angleton business, Collins Instrument Company. He worked there for 35 years, from 1974 until 2009. He was their Valve Supervisor. At Collins, he worked with many wonderful people and made lifelong friends. Kenny was preceded in death and greeted at Heaven's gates by his parents, his in-laws George and Ann Davlin, his son-in-law and the son he never had, Chris Hildenburg, his brother-in-law Bob Walker, nephew Scotty Meadows and many other dearly beloved aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. He is survived by his wife and best friend Phyllis, his only and favorite daughter Sydney Hildenburg, his treasured grandsons Sam and Ben Hildenburg, sister Bobby Walker, sister Beverly Kurys and husband Tom, sister-in-law Barbara Meadows, brother-in-law Travis Davlin and wife Becky, many beloved aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, their precious spouses and children, and many special friends. A memorial service will be held at the First Presbyterian Church of Angleton, where Kenny was an Elder. It will be officiated by Pastor Michael Gable. The service will be on Thursday, January 9th at 2:00 pm. Immediately following, a reception will be held in the fellowship hall for all friends and family to visit and celebrate Kenny's life. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Angleton Area Emergency Medical Corps, First Presbyterian Church of Angleton, Coastal Conservation Association or the Alvin Community College Foundation. Online condolences can be sent to the Gerdes family at www.palmsfuneralhome.com. Ken so appreciated and enjoyed your love and friendship over the years. Service Details. Service When Thursday, January 9th, 2020 2:00pm Location First Prebyterian Church (Angleton) Address 130 S Arcola St ANGLETON, TX 77515 Interment Location Angleton Cemetery Address 328 Cemetery Rd. ANGLETON, TX 77515