Raymond Pete Gerk

Services for Ray Gerk will be Saturday, March 9, 2024 at 10 am at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Holyoke. He will be laid to rest in the Holyoke Cemetery following the mass.  Raymond Pete Gerk was born in Ovid, Colorado on March 27, 1936.  He was the second child and oldest son of Pete and Lena (Shank) Gerk. He passed peacefully on March 5, 2024, just 22 days shy of his 88th birthday. 

Ray was an avid producer and businessman. As a young farmer, he started his operation growing sugar beets and became knowledgeable on how to produce a valuable crop. He was asked by Holly Sugar to move to Hereford, Texas with his brothers, Robert and Jim, and Don Reuter to raise sugar beets and teach area Texans to grow them. The farming operations grew in both Colorado and Texas. While in the Texas Panhandle, Ray was recognized for his innovation and passion for maximum production and growth with irrigation development. He was also invited to serve on the High Plains Underground Water District board and received invitations to serve on other boards. As he continued to farm and grow production acres, he became interested in cattle feeding operations. He owned and operated Beef City Feedyard until the early 1990’s. Ray was known in the Hereford, TX community to be an “out of the box” thinker and always was coming up with unique ideas. In the later part of his career, he moved back to Holyoke, CO and continued to farm.

With Ray, those who knew him, know he liked shenanigans. He told stories of dressing up like women to deter border patrol agents, pushing waiting vehicles down the street and the infamous fishing stories (yes, more than one).  He and a business partner and dear friend, Earl Green, would also have listeners around the commodity house table in tears of laughter with their mischiefs.

While at Regent Park Nursing and Rehabilitation center, Ray became acquainted with Ron Lorenzo. Together, they were a team with Bailey, Ray’s dog. Just imagine the stories they told each other as the old TV series, The Odd Couple.

Ray is preceded in death by his parents, Pete and Lena Gerk, and his siblings: two sisters, Delores Schultz and Judy Grahl, and two brothers, Robert Gerk and Jim Gerk. He is survived by his loyal and trusted yellow labrador, Bailey, three daughters and their families, Shelley Heinrich, Shannon Charlton and Shyla Buckner and two step-children and their families, Jared White and Tessa Bivins. Additional family members include sister-in laws, Elaine Gerk and Carolyn Gerk and numerous nephews and nieces.

The family wishes to thank the many dedicated caregivers at Regent Park Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Their care and compassion for Ray was unwavering and very kind.  The Family also thanks the community of Holyoke for their acts of kindness and visits afforded to Ray while he was there in his departing years. 

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 519 S. Interocean Ave, Holyoke, Co, 80734 or Regent Park Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 816 S Interocean Avenue, Holyoke, Co. 80734 in his honor and for the care of Bailey, the loyal and trusted yellow labrador.  

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