Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 19, 2010 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Sauk Rapids for John R. Gebhardt, age 77, of Sauk Rapids who died Friday at his home after a three year battle with cancer. Rev. Greg Lieser will officiate and burial will be at Annunciation Cemetery in Mayhew Lake. Friends and relatives may call from 4-8 p.m. Sunday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Sauk Rapids and one hour prior to the services Monday at the church. The Knights of Columbus Council 11346 of Sauk Rapids will pray the rosary at 6:30 p.m. and parish prayers will be at 7:00 p.m. Sunday at the church.

John R. Gebhardt was born May 23, 1933 in St. Cloud to Lawrence & Mayme (Barthelemy) Gebhardt. He married Shirley Petron on Oct. 26, 1957 at Annunciation Catholic Church in Mayhew Lake. John graduated from Cathedral High School in 1951 and attended St. John’s University. He owned Gebhardt Trucking for 20 years. He then worked at the St. Cloud VA Medical Center in the Purchasing Department until his retirement in 1995. After retirement, John drove a school bus for the local high school sports teams. He was a long time member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and belonged to the Knights of Columbus and Holy Name Society Men’s Club. John was an avid Cathedral High School booster and was a member of various golf leagues. He enjoyed spending time with his family, camping, fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, and golfing.

Survivors include his wife, Shirley of Sauk Rapids; daughters, Laurie Rieb of Lakeville, Lisa (Jim) Beckmann of Faribault, Leslie (Ivar) Tait of Faribault, and Lynda (Andy) Reeder of Bolingbrook, IL; brothers, Bill (Carole) of Cold Spring and Donald of Aurora, CO; grandchildren, Kaitlyn and Megan Rieb, Michael, Joseph, and Maggie Beckmann, Grace, Robert, and James Tait, and Thomas, Alex, and Katherine Reeder; and many brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, and friends.

John was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Muriel Gans Zimmer; and father-in-law, Ralph Petron.

Memorials are preferred to the John Gebhardt (Class of 1951) Scholarship Fund at Cathedral High School.