Arthur John Gercken

Arthur John Gercken June 3, 1934 – September 4, 2017 Arthur (Art) John Gercken passed away on Monday, September 4, 2017 in Chandler, Arizona. He was born June 3, 1934, in Brooklyn, New York, to Otto and Elizabeth (Berg) Gercken. His grandfather, Johann Martin Gercken, who had emigrated from Bremerhaven, Germany, arriving at Ellis Island September, 1888, owned and operated a small grocery store in Brooklyn. When Art was age three, the family moved to Hoboken, New Jersey, where he graduated from Demarest High School. He attended Pace University in New York and later graduated from Regis University in Denver with a double degree in business and computer science. Art joined the Navy, serving his country from 1951 to 1955. He was employed as a computer engineer at IBM in New Jersey; Storage Technology in New York, Illinois, Colorado; and Sun Microsystems in Broomfield, Colorado. On March 2, 1957, Art married Helene Haugg in Bronx, New York. They were married 20 years and had five children. In 1977, the family moved from Colonia, New Jersey, to Longmont, Colorado. In January 1, 1981, he married Linda Kay Doughty of Broomfield, Colorado, where they resided until they moved to Sun Lakes, Arizona, in July 2016. Art coached little league baseball and the softball team at Storage Technology. He liked to play tennis and bridge. But he loved a new upcoming game called “pickleball” for which he served as an ambassador for many years, promoting the game wherever he went and serving as director for several tournaments. He also loved traveling, highlighted by several years of RV travel with his wife Linda across America where they visited every state capital. He traveled with a purpose by helping build Habitat for Humanity houses and served as an officer in the Rocky Mountain Coaches for Christ. Art will be remembered by family and friends for his strong work ethic; his ability to “fix” anything; his willingness to help anyone who asked; and his love for his family. He was a Christian and loved going to church. Art was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Warren. He is survived by his wife, Linda Kay; Sons and daughters: Linda Ann of Northglenn, Colorado, Arthur Jr. of Denver, Colorado, Robert and his wife Liu Lin of Longmont, Colorado, Susan of Longmont, Colorado, and Kevin of Denver, Colorado; Grandchildren: Kristopher Goggin, Jennafer and her husband Charles Sherman, Kathryn Goggin, and Kaiden Gercken; Great granddaughter April Sherman; and Step children: Shawn Doughty, Jamie and his wife Amy and son Andrew Doughty and Laura Doughty; Brother Otto Gercken of Gainesville, Virginia, and numerous nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 A.M., Thursday, September 21, 2017, at Lutheran Church of Hope, 1305 West 10th Avenue, Broomfield, Colorado 80020. Art will be inurned at Fort Logan National Cemetery later that afternoon with a small family-only committal liturgy. In lieu of flowers, gifts in Art’s memory can be made to the Foundation of Hope at the Lutheran Church of Hope in Broomfield, Colorado. God saw you were getting tired And a cure was not to be. So He put His arms around you And whispered, “Come with me.” With tearful eyes we watched you suffer And saw you fading away. Although we loved you dearly, We couldn’t make you stay. A golden heart stopped beating. Working hands were put to rest. God broke our hearts to prove to us He only takes the best. --Author Unknown.