John Gerhardt

John T. Gerhardt, of Afton, TN, passed away May 24, 2023  after an 18 month battle with Cholangiocarcinoma (liver bile duct cancer). He died at home with his wife, Jennifer, and his parents, Tom and Lynda Gerhardt, by his side. John was 41.

John is survived by his wife, Jennifer Gerhardt of Afton, TN; their daughter, Éva of Afton, TN; his parents, Tom & Lynda Gerhardt of Glendale, AZ; his siblings, Erin (Matt) Parrack, Sophia & Natalie, of Prescott, AZ; Patrick (Stacy) Gerhardt, Haylee, Ayden & Olivia, of Bentonville, AR; his grandmother, Carolyn Harding of Clark, SD; his in-laws, Dennis & Lorraine Raczkowski of Glendale, AZ; his sisters-in-law, Christine (Brock) Domin, Avery, Elliott & Finley, of Vienna, VA, and Erin (Adrian) Retamoza & Amelia, of Phoenix, AZ; & his brother-in-law, David (Lauren) Raczkowski of Phoenix, AZ.

John was born in Sioux City, IA on October 23, 1981 to Tom & Lynda (Warkenthien) Gerhardt. He attended Blessed Sacrament Catholic School in Sioux City, IA, North Scott High School in Eldridge, IA, and graduated from Mountain Ridge High School in Glendale, AZ in 2000. John loved sports and participated in football & track. His love of all sports continued through his adult life. John was an avid fan of the University of Notre Dame football program and the Green Bay Packers.

John graduated from AZ State University in 2004 and received his MBA from the University of South Carolina in 2019. He worked for JELD-WEN, Inc. for 17 years (2001-2018). Promotions moved John and his family from Phoenix, AZ to Sacramento, CA and then to corporate offices in Charlotte, NC, where he was Associate Product Line Manager. John was then recruited to Big Ass Fans in Lexington, KY by former JELD-WEN, Inc. executives. He was Global Senior Product Manager of Large Overhead Fans & Controls from 2018-2021. John pursued his passion in the building materials industry again by joining Westlake Royal Building Products in Bristol, TN. He held the position of Director of Product and Marketing for Cellular Products division until taking medical leave in late 2022.

John is predeceased by his grandparents, James L. & Jane Gerhardt and Darrel Warkenthien; his step grandfathers Harland Palmquist and Robert Harding; his aunt Barbara Ritterbush Haberman; his uncles James P. Gerhardt and David Ritterbusch; his cousins, Jimmy Gerhardt and Michael Warkenthien.

John's positive attitude, infectious smile, sense of humor and character served him well. Although his life was far too short, John positively impacted so many people, including family, friends, and colleagues. He treated everyone with respect, compassion, and dignity. We have been told that one of John's greatest attributes was his ability to quickly create and sustain meaningful relationships.

John, you fought your battle with such strength and grace in the spirit of a true warrior. You were such an inspiration and have earned the right to rest peacefully.

A Celebration of Life was held on June 24, 2023 in Lexington, KY at BAF corporate headquarters. John's memorial service will be at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Glendale, AZ at 10:30 am on July 20, 2023.

As a curtesy to the family, Furness Funeral Home has posted the obituary for those in the Clark area to be notified. There is an online registry available at www.furnessfuneralhome.com.