GERSON BRANDSPIGEL

Gerson Brandspigel passed away on Thursday, January 27, 2022 in Philadelphia at the
age of 98. With his family, Gerson survived the Holocaust and built a new life in America. He
died on International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Gerson was born in Pultusk, Poland on September 20, 1923 to Jacob and Rose. He was the
oldest of 7 siblings. After the third grade, Gerson had to leave school to work in his father�s
carpenter shop. He was 15 when Germany invaded Poland. He and his family fled to Russia on
foot, barely escaping the Nazis. In Russia, Gerson took any job he could find to provide for his
family � chopping wood, farming, carpentry, and making parts in a factory. After the war, he
joined a kibbutz in Poland, where he met Barbara, his future wife. They spent years in
displaced persons camps in Europe, awaiting the chance to immigrate to the U.S.

Gerson and Barbara arrived in New York in 1950 with $18 and their six month old son, Karl.
They eventually found an apartment that they shared with Barbara�s parents. Gerson learned
English while working as a greenhorn laborer on carpentry and construction jobs, then started
his own carpentry business. Later, he bought a hardware store, Gary�s Hardware on Fulton
Street in Brooklyn. Since Gerson didn�t change the business name, his customers just called
him Gary. Gerson and Barbara retired to New Jersey in 1998. There they made new friends
and enjoyed parties, shows, travel and regular trips to casinos in Atlantic City.

Gerson loved to tell stories of his early life � like the time Barbara made jumping pierogies, or
when they traded newborns with another set of new parents in the hospital after the nurses
mixed up their babies. His stories were always delivered with humor and a twinkle in his eye,
and were frequently punctuated by elbow jabs and shoulder punches, to ensure you were
paying attention. It was a total body experience, listening to his stories.

Gerson�s last three years were spent in a senior community in Philadelphia, where he achieved
minor celebrity status through the publication of his book, My Story. Any resident or staff
member who visited his apartment for any reason left with a copy of his book. Until the last few
months of his life, he enjoyed many activities including daily walks, singing lessons, playing
cards, family gatherings, and shopping at the Dollar Tree.

He was preceded in death by his wife Barbara, sister Rachel and brother Sol. He is survived by
his children Karl (Nita), David and Helen, and his siblings Sara, Bella, Ida, and Bernie and his
extended family including grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and great
nieces and great nephew.

Goldstein�s Funeral Home is assisting the family.

A graveside service will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, January 28. In lieu of flowers, donations
can be made in memory of Gerson to the US Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC.

If you would like to learn more about Gerson�s life story, order his book at the link below, or
request a copy from his family.

https://www.blurb.com/books/8778995-my-story