Fred r. Gebhardt

Fred R. 'Gebby' Gebhardt, of St. Petersburg, FL, died Sunday, July 14, 2002 at his residence under the care of The Hospice Of The Florida Suncoast. He was born in New York, NY and came here in 1977 from Rochester, NY where he was a District Manager for Frito Lay for 14 years. After he was discharged from the U.S. Marine Corp where he served during WW II and Korea and attained the rank of Staff Sergeant, he was a member of the Sentinels Drill Team providing military honors at the funerals of veterans in Sherburne, NY. They expanded it and began performing at exhibitions and he started his career as a marching band drill designer for high school and college marching bands including Syracuse University, the U.S. Naval Academy Drum and Bugle Corp., Northeast High School, Seminole High School, and Tarpon Springs High School in Pinellas County, FL and King High School, Blake High School, Plant High School, and Alonso High School all in Tampa, FL. West Genessee High School Band in Camillus, NY, the Kilties Jr. Drum and Bugle Corp. in Racine, WI, and the NY Skyliners Sr. Drum and Bugle Corp. all won national championships. He has designed the field shows for the Greater St. Petersburg Area Second Time Arounders Marching Band since 1990 and for 25 years, was the drill designer for Mid Atlantic Band Camps at Ferrum University in Ferrum, VA. where a gazebo was erected in his honor. He and his wife were the former owners of the Syracuse Brigadiers Drum and Bugle Corp. in Syracuse, NY. He was also a contest adjudicator, clinician, and consultant. For ten years, he was a school bus driver for handicapped children with the Pinellas County School System. He was Methodist. He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Leota A. 'Lee,' one son, Dan L. Drake of Chicago, IL, two daughters, Christine A. Probst of Rochester, NY, Gloria M. Jenny of Sherburne, NY, one sister, Lorraine May of East Meadow, L.I., NY, and four grandchildren, Vincent Grillo, Taima Probst, and Matthew and Sarah Jenny. The family request memorials to: The ALS Association Florida Chapter 9887-4th St. No., Suite 201 St. Petersburg, FL 33702 OR The Hospice Of The Florida Suncoast 300 E. Bay Drive Largo, FL 33770. $(document).ready(function(){ });