H.R. No. 2095
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The community of The Woodlands lost an inspiring
spiritual leader with the death of the Reverend Donald R. Gebert on
March 15, 2021, at the age of 91; and
WHEREAS, Don Gebert was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
on June 11, 1929; after graduating from the Wharton School of
Business at the University of Pennsylvania, he was called to the
ministry and entered the Lutheran Theological Seminary in
Philadelphia; he married the former Barbara Hermanns in 1951, and
the couple shared a loving union that spanned nearly 70 years; he
was the proud father of five children, Sue, Judy, Rick, Bob, and
Kathy, and later in life he was blessed with eight grandchildren and
five great-grandchildren; and
WHEREAS, In 1957, Reverend Gebert moved with his family to
the South American nation of Guyana, where he worked as a Lutheran
missionary until 1963; returning to Pennsylvania, he became senior
pastor at St. Matthews Lutheran Church; he was in the audience in
Washington, D.C., during Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream"
speech, and he became active in the civil rights movement; with a
group of Black pastors, he helped found King's Way Community Church
in one of the poorest communities of Philadelphia, and he also
helped establish several charities and churches in eastern
Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Gebert and his family moved to The
Woodlands in 1975, and he became the founder and executive director
of Interfaith of The Woodlands, playing a vital role in the growth
of the community during its early years; he also contributed to the
creation of The Woodlands Resident Directory, The Woodlands Child
Development Center, The Woodlands Villager, Montgomery County
Youth Services, and The Woodlands Hospital; and
WHEREAS, After retiring from Interfaith, Reverend Gebert
served as assistant to the Bishop of the ULCA Texas Lutheran Synod;
he came back to The Woodlands as associate pastor of Lord of Life
Lutheran Church, where he became pastor emeritus; he worked until
he was 90, serving as the chaplain at The Village in The Woodlands;
in 2018, The Woodlands Hometown Heroes honored him for his
contributions to the community with the prestigious Mitchell Award;
and
WHEREAS, Don Gebert lived a rich and purposeful life
dedicated to the service of others, and he leaves behind a legacy
that will continue to inspire all those who knew and loved him; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of the Reverend Donald
R. Gebert and extend heartfelt sympathy to his relatives and
friends; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Donald R.
Gebert.
Toth
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 2095 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on May 31, 2021.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House