GERTHS

Fritz Gerth 

Janet Gerth

Janet Gerth was born and raised in Peoria, IL.  She is the co-owner of Gerth's and is the Chief Financial Officer and Comptroller.  Janet also is a licensed funeral director in Missouri.  She graduated from Baylor University with a bachelor's degree in nursing in May of 1973.  She married Fritz Gerth in September of 1973 and they have four children.  Before coming to Gerth's, Janet was employed at Grim Smith Hospital in Kirksville, MO, Sarasota (FL) Palms Hospital, and Scotland County Memorial Hospital in a variety of nursing fields.  In her spare time, she enjoys working outdoors with plants, and has constructed a tier garden at her home with many varieties of plants and bushes.  Janet is a former board member of the Becky Thatcher Area Girl Scout Council, a former troop leader, and a former Service Unit Chairman.  At Gerth Funeral Service, Janet provides a valuable asset to grief counseling based on her years of experience in the nursing profession.

Jeff Behrens

Frederick Gerth lived for Gerth & Baskett until the day he died.  His devotion to his business and leadership guided the company during its most successful era.  During his tenure as president, he operated four furniture stores and seven funeral homes.  Frederick earned a bachelor of science degree and attended one year of graduate school in business administration at the University of Iowa.  He also graduated from the St. Louis College of Mortuary Science.  Frederick was a licensed funeral director in Missouri and Iowa.  In World War II, he enlisted in U.S. Navy and attended Midshipman's school at Northwestern University as a Navigation Instructor.  Following advancement to Lieutenant -- junior grade, he was sent to North Island for training as a beach master.  Upon promotion to Lieutenant -- senior grade, he was assigned to the 12th Assault Beach Battalion as the Executive Officer.  When he returned following the war, Frederick developed Triangle Furniture Stores (Memphis, Paris, Shelbina, and Quincy IL) and the Individual Mausoleum Corporation in Jamesport, MO.  For his work in promotion and advertisement for Gerth & Baskett, he was awarded a Merchant of Distinction honor from the Chicago Furniture Mart.  Frederick was also honored as 50 year member of the Missouri Funeral Directors Association and a 50 year member of the Memphis Masonic Lodge #16 A.F. & A.M.  Frederick had 3 children and 6 grandchildren. 

Fred Gerth, Sr., was the youngest child of William Frederick and Margaret Ruth Gerth, immigrants from East Prussia (now Poland).  He was a strong young man, who lettered on the 1899 German College of Iowa (now Iowa Wesleyan College) football team.  Fred also attended Penn State College in Iowa and graduated from the St. Louis Embalming School.  In 1904, he opened Fred Gerth's Furniture, Pianos, and Embalming in Wyaconda, MO.  The business rapidly grew, expanding to Gorin and Rutledge. In 1912, George V. Baskett, Fred's brother-in-law, joined the firm, creating Gerth & Baskett.  Gerth & Baskett became one of the most distinguished businesses in the area, as Fred expanded to Memphis, MO, in 1930 and later acquired the Furniture Mart in Paris, MO. He also was the President of the Individual Mausoleum Company in Jamesport, MO.  Fred was distinguished in the level and quality of his business, striving to be a reliable firm.  The high standard of service that his business is still famous for was set when he was called upon to handle the funeral arrangements for Ella Ewing, the world's tallest woman.  His generosity and fairness are still recalled by customers who today see his portrait hanging in the Gerth & Baskett lobby.   Fred was also renowned for selling his Cable Nelson pianos.  At one time, Gerth & Baskett sold more pianos per capita than any other store in North America.  There are still homes in the Scotland and Clark County who still have Cable Nelson's sold to them by Fred Gerth.  Apart from his business interests, he was an avid golfer until his death, regularly attended the Kentucky Derby, was the President of the Lions Club of Wyaconda, was a Scottish Rite Mason at the Gorin Lodge, was active at the Memphis Methodist Church, and enjoyed relaxing at his winter home in Ft. Myers, FL.  Fred and his wife, LoDema, had two children, Albert and Frederick, and five grandchildren.

George V. Baskett carried a business card that listed his occupations as: Methodist, Minister, Mason, Merchant, Mortician and a Democrat.  During his long career, George did and saw many things.  He once said that he ministered over 1,000 services, but was never the pastor of a church.  A highly educated man, he graduated from the from Kirksville Teachers College (now Truman State University) when he was 21,  and returned to Wyaconda as a Latin and Mathematics teacher.  In 1913, he entered the University of Chicago and received his masters degree the same year.  In the 1920s, he served as superintendent of the Wyaconda School System.  George served in the Missouri House of Representatives in the 1950s, even though he did not actively campaign.  In the House, he created the first consolidated school program to insure an equality of education for rural school children.  George also had a memorial to Ella Ewing erected in the state capital at Jefferson City. In addition to being part owner of Gerth & Baskett, he was the president of the Peoples Bank of Wyaconda.  George became a 32 degree Mason, a Shriner, and a member of the Scottish Rite.  George became friends with another Mason and Democrat, Harry S. Truman.  A caring man with a good sense of humor, it has been said that George and his wife, Marie, would go out of their way to make anyone feel welcome.  Perhaps that is why he was honored with his own page in both of the centennial books offered by two towns, Gorin and Wyaconda -- the only person such honored.  George and Marie had two children, George Jr. (G.V.) and Mrs. Anna Mae Dunton.

Albert Gerth was the first born son of Fred and Dema Gerth.  When he was still a toddler, he began appearing in Gerth Ads, in particular the calendars that his appearances made famous.  There are still several in existence in Northeast Missouri today.  From his early appearance in those calendars until his untimely death in 1959, he was always associated with the store, except when he left to fight in World War II. Even though he was 32 years old when the war broke out, Albert joined the Army to do his part.  During the war he saw action in the European Theater.  Albert graduated from University of Iowa, and was also a business man and funeral director.  He and his brother, Frederick, oversaw the day-to-day operations of the business when Fred Gerth left for Florida in the winter.   Albert was a good hearted man, known for giving nickels to the local children to buy an ice cream cone on a hot Saturday afternoon.  He married the former Georgiana Kirkpatrick, and they had two children, Mrs. Gretchen Arnaiz and George Gerth.