William J. “Bill” Gemma

William Joseph “Bill” Gemma, age 97, beloved husband for 52 years of the late Joan (nee Davidson); loving mother of Cynthia Six (husband Richard), Sandra Kahn, Deborah Capretta (husband Rick), Bill Gemma (wife Kathy), and Christine Goodrick (husband Mark); devoted grandfather of Nicole Durosko (husband Chris), Aimee Guzowski (husband Mark), Michael Puin (wife Chelsea), Karla Gerhard (husband Nicholas), Riccardo Capretta (wife Melissa), Janelle Keifer (husband James), Daniel Capretta, Jennifer Lambert (husband Stephen), Kristen Meirick (husband Jeffrey), Gina Latch (husband Jay), Jake Goodrick, and Erica Goodrick; dearly loved great-grandfather of Luke and Reese Durosko, Penny and Louis Guzowski, Stella and Hadley Puin, Grace and Gage Gerhard, Charles and Olive Capretta, Max, Julian, Malcolm, and Jonah Keifer, Franco and Santino Capretta, Zoey Lambert and Will Meirick; cherished son of the late Leo and Victoria (nee DiPilla) Gemma; dearest brother of the late Charles Gemma (wife Dorothy), James Gemma (wife Katherine), Mary Louise Daprile (husband James) and Leo Gemma (wife Mary Anne); cherished companion of Anne Rusick, dearest uncle and great uncle of many.

Bill was born in Youngstown, Ohio, on November 3, 1922 and passed away peacefully on May 4, 2020.  He was a resident of Lyndhurst for 62 years, previously residing in Mayfield Heights. He graduated from Boardman High School in 1940 and received a Bachelor of Arts from Hiram College in 1947.  Bill was a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army during World War II. He served as a medic from June, 1943 – January, 1946.

Bill was devoted to his family and will be dearly missed. He had a remarkable career in Sales and Sales Management at Lederle Laboratories, Mau Sherwood, and Strong & Carlyle. He was an avid sports fan of the Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Cleveland Indians. Bill was always the person to ask about anything related to sports!  He loved golfing, woodworking, dancing, walking in the Metroparks, photography, reading, sudoku, and exercising. He was a great joke teller and had a hole in one on Hole #12 at Punderson. Bill was a proud American and was an Honor Flight participant.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in memory of William Gemma to Hospice of Western Reserve, PO Box 72101, Cleveland, OH 44192 or St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

All services private.