Condolences for
Andrew “Duck” Gehringer

Dear Andrew,

If you could only read this, you would know the size of the hole in my heart that your passing has made and how much I struggle with losing you.

I so miss our phone calls on our drives home from work, talking about work and trying to figure out what Mom was making for dinner and if we didn’t like it, we would try and nudge Mom to let us go out to eat at Suburban Dinner or Casanova’s Kitchen.

In the evenings, I would come upstairs to tell you that I was going to bed, only to spend the next hour or longer talking about what each of us did in work that day or we talked about your current “at home” electronics project – I so miss those talks.

Now, every night before I go to sleep, I walk past your door in the hopes to see you sitting there working on your computer, but the chair is always empty…

Every night I do that same thing, hoping that one night I will actually wake up from this awful dream and that you’ll be sitting there and we can again talk about our days.

Sooner or later reality is going to hit me and I am finally going to have to realize that no matter how many times I pass your door, your chair is going to remain empty. As for our late night talks they are now forever memories to help me heal.

You were my “buddy”.

I hope that you are safe and at peace, I miss you…

-- Dad

Barb I send you and your family my deepest condolences and hope the Lord helps you all to find peace and strength is these times.

I met Andrew a few years back, I believe shortly after he got his master divers credentials. We had sat in A1 scuba shop on many occasions chit chatting about life. We also spent many many entertaining nights at Dutch Springs, Andrew was definitely a lover of night time fires with warm and fuzzy cocktails, followed by days of glorious diving in some very cold water. I was fortunate enough to even have taken a few diving trips with Andrew, and always had the time of my life with him. I am proud to say that Andrew is a great friend of mine, I am honored to know him, and blessed to have him in my life. Andrew has been called upon to a more important task, a task that required him to leave us sooner then we want to. Rest assured we know he is the best man for the job, and when he is finished his task, he will be watching over each and every one of us. No goodbyes my friend, only so long, as I will see you again someday my friend.

My condolences to Andrew's family and friends. I worked with Andrew in Harleysville. He always had a pleasant smile and a hello every time we would meet. So sorry for everyone's loss.

Duk packed a lot into very few words, and would do anything for anybody. Knowing him was a joy, a pleasure, and a privilege. His warmth and his goofy smile brought smiles to everyone he interacted with, and he enjoyed helping those around him improve at whatever we were all doing together. Every moment around him was a gift.