Montco Man, Who Inspected Saint Prior To Beatification, Has Died

A longtime funeral director and Ambler man that inspected the body of a saint prior to beatification died peacefully in Lansdale on Saturday, May 30, his obituary states.

Peter H. Gers, 94, was a funeral director for 70 years and in 1962, famously participated in a canonical inspection of Bishop John Neumann in Philadelphia.

Gers was born in Philadelphia in 1921, and later graduated from the Doland Embalming School, receiving his funeral director license by 1944.

He took a leave to fight in World War II from 1945 to 1947, serving as a Sergeant in the U.S. Army.

When he returned from war, Gers opened the Peter H. Gers Funeral Home in the Olney section of Philadelphia. After six years, he moved his operation to 5th Street and Cheltenham Avenue, where he stayed for 36 more years, until 1989.

It was in 1962 when Bishop John Neumann passed away, and Gers was asked to help in the inspection process before beatification.

Bishop Neumann was in his tomb in St. Peter’s Church in Philadelphia when Gers arrived. Gers provided the following recollection of the day:

On Thursday morning, November 8, 1962, at 11:30 A.M. I arrived with another Funeral Director, Mr. R. Roach, at St. Peter’s Church, Fifth and Girard Avenue. After identification we were permitted to enter the Chapel where Bishop Neumann was entombed. Also there were fifty (50) clergy, eight (8) men from Holy Cross Cemetery plus two Superintendants, several men from Travis Ceramic Tile Company, a photographer and several others. We heard the noise of a pneumatic drill and quite a bit of hammering, which was caused by the men who were removing the marble slab from over the tomb.

The slab was raised first at one end and then at the other, being held above the tomb by several planks. A moving scaffold was placed over the tomb area and a sling was placed under the slab which was then moved to the left side of the tomb exposing the metal case in which Bishop Neumann’s casket rested. This case was only about 18 inches beneath the surface of the sanctuary floor. The activities were being recorded on tape by Monsignor Noone and written notes were also being taken. All measurements were checked and recorded ... every detail was examined. Then men from the cemetery slid straps under the case and raised it to the sanctuary floor on the right side of the tomb.

The case had a red ribbon crossed over the upper or head end of the case which had the seal of Archbishop Ryan. The lid was quite flat having several grooves running the full length of the case. On the lid was a lip extending half to three quarters of an inch - the case lip being a little bit larger. Completely around the base lip were many bolts - possibly as many as twenty-four. On each bolt was a metal ear or extension which when the lid was in place were tightened so as to engage or secure the lid. These bolts were quite rusty and could not be unlocked. It was decided to break them off - this was done by the use of the hammer. When they were broken off the lid was removed. At this point we were asked to go into the Sacristy to be sworn in.

After being sworn in I signed a paper which I am told will be forwarded to Rome as will all other names of persons actively participating. We were then told we would be served lunch and were sworn to secrecy as the ladies serving us did not know what was being done in the Chapel. This may seem strange to say when we had mentioned the pneumatic hammer- but this noise would not have made anyone curious as they were doing quite a bit of construction work around the church buildings. After lunch we returned to the chapel and were all anxious to see inside the case now that the lid was removed.

Inside there rested a wooden casket, the type of wood was not easily recognized. At about the middle of the lid there was an opening of about ten inches in width and apparently was caused by the decomposition of that part more quickly than the rest. It was immediately evident that there were some remains inside. The clergyman who was in charge decided that since neither the lid nor sides would remain intact they should now be removed. This was carefully done and now the remains of the Bishop were in plain view. His remains were well preserved and many of his vestments were easily recognized.

The Bishop was then raised from the metal case by lifting the base of the casket and his remains together. This was the part where my own participation began. In the bottom of the case there was slight moisture but no measurable amount. We placed the base of the casket with the Bishop on a low table and then his vestments were intensely studied. It was quite evident that he had been buried in green vestments. These vestments were then removed and wrapped in a white cloth and placed in a metal container (the size of a portable ice chest). We removed his gloves, Episcopal ring and pectoral cross. The cross no longer contained the corpus. The casket also contained a metal cylinder the contents of which could not be immediately removed because of dampness. When the vestments were comp1ete1y removed two surgeons (who had arrived by this time) were given the microphone and made detailed clinical comments on the condition of the Bishop’s body and limbs. Then, what would be equivalent to two pounds of bone were removed and placed on papers which were marked as to where they had been removed. These were washed and placed in small linen packets which were tied with satin and sealed. They were placed in a chest similar to a silver chest lined with satin. I was told this will be sent on to Rome.

We then dressed the Bishop’s remains in new vestments. It was then announced that if any of the priests present desired to touch the Bishop’s remains that they could do so at this time. The Bishop now being completely clothed with the exception of his Miter, they would naturally have to touch his head. It was my privilege to be in such a position to his remains that his head was resting in my left hand. His remains were now placed in a new casket and re-interred only a few feet from the place where the Bishop was buried more than a century ago. The Sanctuary floor was completely reset, the original marble slab that covered the tomb was put back and the tile reset. The entire procedure or ceremony took approximately six hours.

Gers sold his real estate in Philadelphia in 1989 and moved to Ambler, where he worked at the Anton B. Urban Funeral Home.

In addition to his workplace distinctions, Gers was a President of the Olney Lions Club, a member of the Men of the Medical Mission Sisters, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and National Funeral Directors Associations. He and his family were founding members of St. Joseph’s Parish in Cheltenham where he was active participant in the Holy Name Society, Catholic War Veterans, and Knights of Columbus.

Gers is survived by his devoted children Peter H. (Mary Ann) Gers Jr. of Harleysville, PA, Donna G. (Joseph) Turk of Elkins Park, PA, Suzanne E. Miller of Ambler, PA, Joseph A. (Alison) Gers of Ambler, PA, and Thomas E. (Mary) Gers of San Antonio, TX. He is also survived by his loving grandchildren Jennifer, Peter, Jonathan, Jeremy, Kevin, Amanda, Alexis, Michael, David, Kelly, Grace, & Emily and his great grandchildren Kieran, Dean, Haven, Lani, Shane and Blaze.

Relative and friends are invited to call from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 3, 2015 at St. Anthony of Padua Church 259 Forest Ave. Ambler. Gers’ Funeral Mass will be at 11:00 a.m. with Msgr. Stephen P. McHenry Pastor as Celebrant. Interment will be in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.

Remembrances in his name to the Medical Mission Sisters or CARES Foundation would be appreciated by the family.

Photo courtesy Urbanfuneralhome.com