REICHERT, Gerda Sihler
Gerda Sihler Reichert passed away peacefully on January 4, 2024, at her home in Stone Mountain, Georgia, in the presence of her family.
Gerda was born on August 3, 1938, in Goppingen, Germany, a small town in southern Germany. Goppingen was a regional rail hub and thus subjected to repeated bombings during World War II. Her father was drafted into the German Army and killed in action on the Russian front when Gerda was five years old. Her mother made the difficult decision to allow Gerda to immigrate to the United States in 1952, at the age of 14, to provide her opportunities for a better life than what would be possible in post-war Germany. She arrived in Hudson, NY, with no knowledge of English to live with relatives she had never met. Upon her graduation from high school, she was not only fluent in English, but had almost no trace of a German accent.
Gerda married Leo E. Reichert, Jr., in July 1957; and the couple moved to Chicago, IL, where Leo was completing his doctoral studies in Medical Biochemistry at the Stritch School of Medicine. While in Chicago, Gerda was employed by the famous Edgewater Beach Hotel on the shore of Lake Michigan and was manager of the division of Conventions.
After graduation, they moved to Atlanta, GA, where Leo had accepted a position as Assistant Professor of Biochemistry in the Division of Basic Health Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine.
During Leo's time at Emory, Gerda became very involved and dedicated to the Emory University Women's Club. She was elected President of that group and invited to continue for a second term, an unusual honor, and one that she declined due to the demands of her active family. In addition to supporting the Club's commitment to staffing the Gift Shop at Egleston Children's Hospital, Gerda organized a knitting group - sharing her incredible gift with women interested in learning the craft. That group, started in early 1960, continues to this day.
In 1975, Gerda was employed in the Atlanta office of the Internal Revenue Service. In 1979, Leo accepted the position of Chairman of the Department of Biochemistry at The Albany Medical College in Albany, NY. The family moved to Loudonville, NY, a suburb of Albany. Shortly thereafter, Gerda resumed her career in the Albany office of the Internal Revenue Service, first in the Office of Public Affairs, then the Records Disclosure Office, and finally the agency's Federal/State Coordinating Office. Because of her fluency in German, Gerda was frequently assigned as translator in German-related IRS issues.
After retirement in January 2000, Gerda and Leo returned to Atlanta to be near their children and grandchildren. Gerda resumed her active role with the Emory University Women's Club, volunteering at Egleston, involvement with the knitting group and book club, crocheting baby blankets for NICU patients at Egleston. She re-established many friendships from St. Thomas More Catholic Church and other groups.
Gerda's most treasured roles were those of devoted wife to Leo and mother to Christine, Leo, Linda and Andy, and later as a grandmother and great-grandmother. As a mother of four she always managed to make each child feel special. She was a soccer mom long before the term was coined, a room mother for multiple classrooms simultaneously, a Girl Scout Leader and Girl Scout Cookie Chairman, an active leader in the PTA of her kids' schools and was incredibly talented in knitting, crocheting and sewing. While at St. Thomas More, Gerda and Leo were active members of the Christian Family Movement group, and Gerda established the nursery that cares for children while adults attended Mass. Gerda was always a champion for those that worked to improve themselves and actively assisted others in the establishment of businesses and even the road to becoming American citizens.
Gerda's loving family includes her husband of 66 years, Leo; children, Christine Jones (Ken) of Atlanta, Leo (Sally) of Marietta, Linda Petmecky of Stone Mountain and Andy (Caroline) of Pearl River, NY; grandchildren, Kate, Leo, Will, Luke, Lauren, Brad, Allison, Kyle, Ashley, Shannon and Ciara; and great-grandchildren, Weston, Adalyn and Drew. She was also the loving aunt of her nephew, Ralf Sihler off Eislingen, Germany.
A Celebration of Life for Gerda will be held at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Decatur, GA, on Saturday, February 17, 2024 at 2:00 PM. A reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be directed to Atlanta Habitat for Humanity or The Atlanta Community Food Bank.
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