Benjamin Trzcina Gerzon's Obituary
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Benjamin Trzcina Gerzon, born in Shebekino, Russia, on January 3, 1946, and departed this world from Tulsa, Oklahoma on May 17, 2024. Ben was a bold force in this world. He touched the lives of many with his incredible spirit and vibrant personality. He will be forever missed by all those who had the privilege of knowing and loving him.
Benjamin Trczina Gerzon of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma was born in Russia on the second night of Hanukah in the end of 1945. The son of Holocaust survivors George Trczina Gerzon and Gittel (Gertrude) Blankitner Gerzon, Ben and his parents did not know the exact date of his birth in the Soviet Union. But that is how his mother told it. When the war ended, the family migrated briefly to Poland, from where they had escaped the Nazis, and upon encountering chaos there they ended up again fleeing to a US-operated refugee camp in southern Germany, where they languished almost six years as camp refugees or displaced persons. George became the chief photographer and documentarian of the refugee camps system. Some of his first subjects were his wife Gittel and their beautiful son Benji. Later, the collection of photos, many of which featured Ben, was acquired by the US Holocaust Memorial Museum as an important record of what camp life was like for displaced persons after World War II.
After a long delay the family was finally granted permission to emigrate to the United States in 1951. Their sponsor was Gittel’s uncle Jacob Blank (Blankitner). They settled into life in Boston and eventually the family grew and moved to Canton, Massachusetts in 1963.
Ben graduated from Canton High School in 1965, attended Northeast Institute of Industrial Technology and learned drafting. As a proud, patriotic American, Ben enlisted in the US Marine Corps in April of 1967 and served bravely in Vietnam mainly as a radio operator who went out on patrols out of Landing Base Baldy near Da Nang from 1969-70. He was honorably discharged as a Sergeant in 1971 and soon moved to the LA area of California to start his career in technology. He was a long standing engineer at Gould Pumps. In California, he married Joan with whom he had his only daughter, Sara Gerzon in 1977.
Ben was a lifelong Red Sox fan and sang in a teen band in the early sixties. He was a big fan of Dion and the Belmonts, and enjoyed singing rock and roll ballads about interesting characters like Big Bad John and Johnny Willow, and other harmony groups like the Four Seasons and others of the 60's and 70's. He was a proud member of the NRA and had strong opinions about life as an American.
He was an excellent ten pin bowler and probably had at least one perfect 300 game. Later in his retirement he would come to coach a girl’s high school bowling team in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. He lived in Oklahoma until his passing. Ben was a devoted family man and was very proud of his step granddaughter Ally Hendrix, who he helped raise with her grandmother and his wife of many years, Kathy Gerzon, who predeceased him in 2020. Alexis helped care for him, especially after his wife Kathy passed away, and she and her family will miss Ben's presence in their lives.
Ben is survived and deeply mourned by his family, especially his daughter Sara Gerzon-Dennis and her husband Dion Dennis and their son Elijah Gerzon (his grandson); siblings Shirley (Gerzon) Papp and her husband Chip Papp and their daughter Kirimi (Papp) Fuller and husband Kevin and their daughter Evelyn, as well as their son Jonathan Papp and his wife Deanna and their children Kelly and Alexander; sister Helen (Gerzon) Goransson and husband Paul and their daughter Jenny and husband Glenn Sewell and daughter Ella Sewell, along with their son Peter Goransson and wife Rachel and their daughters Emily and Haley; and brother Len Gerzon and his wife Nancy.
A memorial service to honor the life of Ben will be held at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, at Floral Haven Funeral Home Chapel, located at 6500 S 129th E Ave, Broken Arrow, OK 74012.
Ben's memorial service will be livestreamed for anyone unable to physically attend: https://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/viewer/102059
A luncheon will be held once the chapel service concludes from 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM at Charleston's Restaurant: 251 E Hillside Dr, Broken Arrow, OK 74012. Ben's family has reserved a private room and would like to warmly extend an invitation to anyone wishing to attend the luncheon in order to continue in fellowship and sharing of memories.
Anyone wishing to send flowers for the service may do so by ordering through our website or by calling Floral Designs by Floral Haven at (918) 459-1525. Any independent florists may deliver flowers directly to Floral Haven Funeral Home by 9:00 AM on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, in order for them to be set out and properly displayed for Ben's memorial service.
Ben's inurnment will take place the following day, at 11:00 AM on Thursday, June 20, 2024, at Fort Gibson National Cemetery in Fort Gibson, OK, where the U.S. Marine Honor Guard will be present to render Military Honors in remembrance of Ben and his service to his country. Ben will be laid to rest alongside his wife Kathy, in their respective urns, at Fort Gibson National Cemetery.
Arrangements entrusted to Floral Haven Funeral Home.
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