Thomas F. Gerlach, 46, of Greenlake Drive, a heavy equipment operator for Boyle and Fogarty Construction for 29 years, died Friday, October 1, 2010. He was the husband of Kathleen L. (Farrell) Gerlach. They had been married for 19 years.
Born in Providence, he was a son of James E. and Ann (Winfield) Gerlach of Narragansett. He had been a lifelong resident of Smithfield, a 1982 graduate of Smithfield High School and a graduate of CCRI.
He was a coach for Smithfield Vikings Football and also for many youth hockey teams.
Besides his wife and parents he is survived by his sons: Thomas F. “TJ” Gerlach, Jr. and Nicholas J. Gerlach, both of Smithfield, his sister: Kathryn Manning Butler and her husband Jeffrey of Wakefield, his brothers John Gerlach of San Francisco, CA, Kyle Gerlach and his wife Lynn of Smithfield, Edward Gerlach and his wife Erin of Pembroke, MA, Robert Gerlach of Scituate, his mother-in-law, Janet Farrell, in-laws, Kelly and Arthur Barrette, William and Rhonda Farrell all of Greenville and Robert and Laurie Farrell of Johnston, many nieces, nephews and extended family members. He was the brother of the late James and Joseph Gerlach and Michael Manning.
Mass of Christian burial Wednesday at 9:30am in St. Philip Church, 622 Putnam Pike, Greenville. Burial will be in St. Francis Cemetery, Wakefield. Visitation Tuesday 3-7pm in the ANDERSON-WINFIELD Funeral Home, Route 44 at Greenville Common, Greenville. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the Thomas F. Gerlach Scholarship Fund, c/o Smithfield High School, 90 Pleasant View Avenue, Smithfield, RI 02917-2147.
* For GPS use: The funeral home is opposite 605 Putnam Pike, Greenville.