Obituary of Darrell Gerber

Darrell Gerber, 56, of Minneapolis passed away November 14, 2024 following a heart attack.

Darrell was born March 13, 1968 in Craig, Colorado, the son of Ervin and Arloa (Gentry) Gerber. Growing up in Craig, Darrell developed a love of animals and gained practical know-how by helping his family with ranching and participating in 4H. The sense of humor instilled in him by his family shone throughout his life. His journey as a musician started when he played baritone sax at Moffat County High School, where he was in the Honor Society. He graduated in 1986.

Darrell studied engineering at Colorado State University, North Carolina State University and Georgia Tech. While at Georgia Tech, Darrell started working as an engineer and met his future wife, Ashley James. Darrell and Ashley moved to Minneapolis together in 2000 and married there in 2005.

Looking to use his technical knowledge to make the world a better place, Darrell went back to grad school to pursue a degree in Science, Technology and Environmental Policy at the University of Minnesota. Working at non-profits in subsequent years, Darrell focused on water policy, seeking to ensure the health of Minnesota’s groundwater, the Great Lakes, and the Mississippi River. He served on the Boards of Directors of Environmental Justice Advocates of Minnesota, Kingfield Neighborhood Association, and Environmental Initiative, and as a volunteer member of the Community Environmental Advisory Committee for the City of Minneapolis.

Recently, Darrell switched careers again and worked as an IT quality engineer. His analytical mind allowed Darrell to understand the technical aspects of all the kinds of work he did, while his personable nature enabled him to maximize the success of that work via productive collaborations.

While Darrell was proud of his accomplishments, he was humble and kind. An introvert who loved people, Darrell made friends easily and kept his friends close. He shared his many endeavors with friends and family. These included playing bass and guitar, going to concerts, playing hockey, hiking, camping, cooking, gardening, and traveling. Darrell brought a spirit of openness and an experimental mindset to all his endeavors, constantly finding new bands to see, new plants to grow, new recipes to try and new hobbies to pursue. Darrell told stories about his beloved cats to everyone he met.

Darrell is survived by his wife, Ashley, parents Erv and Arloa, brother Wade Gerber (Tinneal), nephews Tyler Gerber (Corinne) and Kearn Gerber (fiancée Sierra), grand-nephews Dawson Gerber and Harvey Gerber, parents-in-law Beverly James and Pat Daley, brother-in-law Matt James (Lorena) and nephew Andrew James.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Darrell’s memory can be made to Environmental Initiative (environmental-initiative.org), where Darrell served on the Board from 2012 to 2020.

A memorial service in Craig, CO on December 7 and a celebration of life in Minneapolis, MN December 14 are being planned.