A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. at the North Shore Congregational Church, 7330 North Santa Monica Blvd. in Fox Point, on Saturday (Jan. 28) for Donald Merville Gerlinger P.E. of Fox Point (former longtime resident of Mequon), who passed away peacefully on Monday, Jan. 23, 2006 at the age of 82. Donald’s family will receive friends at the church on Saturday, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., prior to the memorial service. Schmidt & Bartelt Funeral Home in Mequon is serving the family.
Don attended Wauwatosa High School, St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy in Delafield and the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. He graduated from UW-Madison with a bachelor of science degree in metallurgical engineering.
Don served his country in the U.S. Army during World War II. He also served as a captain in the U.S. Army Reserves, where he worked in the area of ordnance research and development. He was the retired owner and operator of the company Gerlinger Inc. of Glendale.
Don was a member of and actively involved in Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity, Registered Wisconsin Professional Engineer, American Foundryman’s Society, Milwaukee Civil War Round Table, Wisconsin Region Antique Automobile Club of America, Board of Managers - Wisconsin Region Classic Car Club of America, National Corvette Owner’s Club, the Packard Club, SC@MPS Club, RSVP and Channel 10/36 Friends where he had been honored as volunteer of the year.
Don served on the U.S. Civil War Centennial Commission, was chairman of the Wisconsin Civil War Centennial Commission and a member of the Wisconsin Lincoln Sesqui-Centennial Commission.
Donald is survived by his daughters Barbara Lee (Fred) Quilling and Sally Ann Fetherston; grandchildren Sean Levis Fetherston, Jeffrey Scott Quilling, Kristin Lee Quilling and Lindsay Kathryn Quilling; and sister Georgia Lee Buchta. He is further survived by a niece, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Donald was the beloved husband of the late Sally Levis Gerlinger and the late Delores Hayes Gerlinger.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to North Shore Congregational Church in Fox Point, Channel 10/36 Friends (700 W. State St., Milwaukee, WI 53233) or the Sally Levis Gerlinger Kappa Kappa Gamma Memorial Scholarship Fund (c/o the family) would be deeply appreciated.