Many try but few can rival the overwhelming pride of alma mater exhibited by Bob Gerbel of St. Joseph. His role as a St. Joseph High School Distinguished Alumni from the Class of 1953, followed by his remarkable tenure at Michigan State University where he graduated with pride in 1957 are among the proudest moments of his life.
So when a moment of conversation turned to a casual comment regarding the record number of St. Joseph High School Seniors heading to Michigan State, Bob and Carol Gerbel, as longtime supporters of the St. Joseph Public Schools Foundation, immediately offered a gift to honor that milestone.
The result is that the thirty-six SJHS students who will make their way to East Lansing in the fall will all head there with a brand new 3×5-foot Spartan Flag courtesy of the Gerbels. Bob values the education he received at the St. Joseph Public Schools, and notes, “This is where it all started for me.” He was the President and Founder of the successful St. Joe accounting firm of Gerbel & Company, PC, which maintained an excellent reputation throughout the region and prided itself on core values like accuracy, timeliness and problem solving.
Bob and Carol care deeply about the St. Joseph Public Schools, and continue to invest in the education of local students. Along with their daughter Nancy (Jim) Kodis, they fund the Believe in Yourself Scholarships to support SJHS graduates in their college endeavors. Their gift of an MSU flag is a reminder to St. Joe students of that great hometown support. The students were presented with the gift by the St. Joseph Public Schools Foundation and were touched by the Gerbels’ thoughtfulness. As one student remarked, “This made our graduation rehearsal even more memorable.”
Commencement for St. Joseph High School was last night, Sunday, June 6th at 6:00 pm on Steve Upton Field at Dickinson Stadium. The Seniors also wound their way through town Friday evening at 6:00pm for a graduation parade.
For more information about the St. Joseph Public Schools Foundation, you can contact Executive Director Sue Riemland at sjpsfoundation@sjschools.org or visit their website: http://www.sjpsfoundation.org.
The photo of the St. Joseph High School Class of 2021 grads attending MSU in the fall with their 3′ x 5′ Spartan flags from Bob and Carol Gerbel of St Joseph accompanying this story on Moody on the Market is courtesy of Beth Mandarino.
