Patricia Black Gehrke

Patricia Gehrke passed away peacefully on January 28, 2023, surrounded by her loving family and caregiver. Patti was the beloved wife of the late Robert (Bob) Gehrke. 

Patti was born in Pensacola, Florida on October 25, 1933, the eldest daughter of Gillis H. Black and Eddie Belle Powell Black.
After graduating from Pensacola High School, Patti attended Pensacola Community College and Business School. It was then she met the love of her life, Bob, who was in the Naval Aviation Training Program at NAS, Pensacola, Florida. Following a brief courtship, they married on July 4, 1954, and remained in the loving embrace of one another for the next 65 years. Their commitment to one another and family provided us with a marital compass.

After a career in business and the fashion industry, Patti left the workforce and devoted herself to her marriage and became the stable foundation of her family. She reentered the workforce in 1985 and for the next 30 years, she served as the Administrative Director of the family business. Patti immersed herself in every community in which she lived. She found joy and satisfaction at church, singing in the choir, attending Bible study, serving on various church committees, and becoming an ordained deacon. She became active in several community theatrical productions and still found time to be a Brownie and Girl Scout Leader. Patti discovered she had another talent as a skillful bowler. She was a member of numerous bowling leagues, several times serving as league president. She won several championships. 

Patti enjoyed watching sports, especially if it involved watching her children and grandchildren play. She enjoyed traveling, playing golf, and shopping, as well as spending time with her friends and family. She enjoyed telling and hearing a good joke, and she had an infectious laugh. In recent years, Patti resided in a senior living community, where she enjoyed playing weekly bingo, socializing with the "lunch bunch," and singing in the choir.

Patti is survived by her three daughters Vicki Ronan and her husband Kevin Ronan, Terri Winn and her husband Ron Saunders, Kim Thompson and her husband Jay Thompson, her grandchildren; Katie and Pat Fox, Ben and Natalie Ronan, Sam and Tammy Ronan, Jordan and Q Lewis, Sage and Shannon Winn, Jaik Thompson and Shelby Brockdorff, Joe Thompson, Hannah Thompson; her seven great-grandchildren; Isla, Sadie, Maren, Quincy, Colin, Ethan, and Chase; and her sister in law Colleen Gehrke. Other dearly departed of Patti's family are her parents, her husband Bob Gehrke, her sister Mary and her husband Bill Hattaway, her grandson Zac Winn and her brother-in-law Bill Gehrke.

Patti will be truly missed by her family, her friends, her bowling buddies and devoted caregivers. Patti was a woman of faith, loyalty, devotion, strength, and grace. She is an inspiration for us all.

The family will receive friends from 10-11 AM on Friday, February 10, at Stauffer Funeral Home, 1621 Opossumtown Pike, Frederick, MD 21702, where a celebration of life will begin at 11:00 AM. Condolences and messages to the family can be left online at staufferfuneralhome.com 
Memorial contributions can be made to Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research at michaeljfox.org/donate.