April 24, 1932 - June 28, 2021
The Family would like to announce the passing of Egon Gellert on June 28, 2021. Dad was born on April 25, 1932 in Syczow, Poland to parents Theodore and Dorothea Gellert. He was the middle child of 5.
He spent his early teenage years working in the blacksmith shops at the coal mines near his home town, helping to support his family. In late 1948, the family made the decision to leave what was now Germany and make their way to Canada via a stop in London.
Upon arrival in Halifax in March of 1949, the family hopped on a train and made their way west. After a stop in Saskatchewan to spend the summer picking rocks out of the fields on a cousin's farm, they carried on to Vernon where they made their home.
He spent his early years here working on farms and doing whatever he could to support his family. He then made his way to Williams Lake where he spent several years driving trucks hauling logs and lumber out of the bush.
In 1966 he settled back down in Vernon and married his wife Karen where they decided to start a family. He then spent the next 35 years or so working in the Construction business until finally he had to retire due to health issues.
He is survived by his children Erica (Doug) Cormack, and Gary, along with his grandchildren Matthew (Jodie) Cormack, Eryn (Trevor) Snoddon, and Kerri (Clayton) Ross, along with several great-grandchildren, and also his sister Rita (Gerald) Carlson
He was predeceased by his wife Karen (2009) along with his brothers Arthur and Rudi along with his sister Adele.
As per his wishes, he was cremated. A gathering of some sort will be planned in the near future. The family would like to thank the staff at Heritage Square who did their best to look after him in the limited time he spent there. He was a member of Faith Baptist Church here in Vernon since 1955.