July 20, 2012  

LOWVILLE, N.Y.  —  Gilbert J. Zehr, 77, of State Route 812, died at his home Friday morning, July 20, surrounded by his family and under the care of his family and Lewis County Hospice. 

Calling hours are from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday, July 22, at the Lowville Mennonite Church.  The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Monday, July 23, at Lowville Mennonite Church with Rev. Keith Zehr, Pastor, officiating. Burial will be in the Croghan Mennonite Cemetery.

Gilbert was born at home in Belfort, NY, on Sept. 11, 1934, a son of the late David H. and Veronica Widrick Zehr, he attended Belfort, Beaver Falls and Copenhagen Schools.  

On May 26, 1954, he married Janet K. Widrick at Lowville Mennonite Church with Rev. Lloyd Boshart, officiating. 

The couple purchased a farm on the Number Three Road in 1955 and moved to the farm on Route 12, Copenhagen in the mid 1960s, retiring in 2006 and moving to Croghan. Mr. Zehr also had the distributorship for Impro Colostrum Products for many years.

He was a member of the Lowville Mennonite Church and an active member in  
Gideons International since 1976, serving in local offices & as Zone Leader and was instrumental in forming the Gideon chapter in Lewis County. He was also involved in various Christian community outreaches.

Mr. Zehr enjoyed his children, farming, hunting, traveling and gardening.

Surviving are his wife of more than 58 years, Janet; two sons and three daughters and spouses, Jesse (Barb) Zehr of Lowville; Nathan (Paula) Zehr of Webster, NY; Alma (Larry) Roes of Staunton, VA; Joan Marie (David) Gerdon of Copenhagen; Allison (Dan) Guenthner of Dolgeville, NY; brothers and spouses surviving, Henry Zehr of Lowville, Clifford Zehr of Country Manor Nursing Home, Carthage and (Geraldine) Zehr of Castorland; Sherwood and (Linda) Zehr of Black River; sisters, and spouses surviving, Rosella Thompson of Lewis County Residential Healthcare Facility, Lowville, Estella Yancey of Florida, Grace and (Elmer) Steria of California, Rachael Widrick of Lowville, Florence Lehman of New Bremen; 18 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, 1 step great-grandson.  He is predeceased by a daughter, Adrienne in 1970 at age 9, a son Gale in 1980 at age 19, a grandson, Keith Gerdon in 1978, at 3 months of age, an infant sister, Elinor, two sisters-in-law, Mable Zehr and Joan Zehr and four brothers-in-law, Walter Thompson, Clyde Yancey, Sherwood Widrick and Daniel Lehman.

Arrangements are with Iseneker Funeral Home, Inc., Lowville.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Lewis County Chapter of Gideons International, P.O. Box 418, Lowville, NY 13367 or Lewis County Hospice, 7785 N. State Street, Lowville, NY 13367.

Condolences may be made online at www.isenekerfuneralhome.com.







Information provided by Iseneker Funeral Home of Lowville and Newzjunky, Watertown, N.Y.