Gerhardt Paul Lautenschläger passed away peacefully in his sleep at 6:54 PM, EST, Oct. 11, 2022 at his Donwoods home in Toronto. He was 95. He had just finished spending his final Thanksgiving weekend surrounded by much of his loving family, including 2 of his grandchildren and 3 of his great grandchildren. Gerry is pre‐deceased by his sister Elfriede and his beloved wife, Ursula.

Born May 3, 1927 in the town of Gefell, Germany, Gerry - as he was known to most - was the second of 3 children born to Marta and Friedrich. Conscripted in the German army at the tender age of 16 during the dying days of World War II, he was placed in command of an anti-aircraft battery squadron. Captured by the Americans, Gerry suffered months of privation as a POW.

After his release and East Germany fell to the Red Army, Gerry escaped with his lifelong companion Ursula, carrying her on his shoulders across the Salle River into Allied territory.

Gerry emigrated to the States on a Fulbright Scholarship in the 1950's and settled in Canada. He established the Canadian Operations for the Gerling Global Insurance Group and pursued a distinguished career of 30+ years retiring as President of Gerling Global Canada.

Gerry and Ursula raised a loving family of three children, Christine, Gabrielle and Frank. In addition to his children, Gerry leaves behind his brother Fritz, his grandchildren Angelo, Christopher, Tatjana, Alexander, Stefan and Tanya, and his great grandchildren Sienna, Ben, Jacqueline, Noah, Emma, and Hanson.

All of us - children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews, brother, sister-in-law, daughter-in-law, and sons-in-law - will miss his warmth, his unwavering optimism, his bright humanity and intelligence, his wit, his sense of humor, his fairness, conviviality, his love of family and his spark of Life.

May the Earth rest gently over him.
May the Stars welcome him.