Early life Eugene Gerber was born on April 30, 1931, in
Kingman, to Cornelius and Lena (née Tiesmeyer) Gerber. The fourth of seven children, he had two brothers, Jerome and Larry, and four sisters, Kathleen, Helen, Leola, and Joan. At his
baptism on May 1, 1931, the officiating priest predicted to Gerber's father, "Some day this boy will become a
priest!" After his ordination, Gerber served as an
associate pastor at St. Anne and Church of the Parishes in
Wichita. In 1962, he became an instructor at
Notre Dame High School in Wichita, teaching algebra and religion, and working as a guidance counselor. He also served as moderator of the
Catholic Youth Organization. In May 1963, Gerber was named assistant
chancellor for the diocese and associate pastor of Holy Savior Parish. He also earned a
Bachelor of Education degree from
Wichita State University in Wichita in June 1963. In addition to his role as assistant chancellor, Gerber became secretary to Bishop
Leo Bryne and associate pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in 1964. He was appointed vice chancellor of the diocese (1965), business manager of the diocesan newspaper (1967), and associate pastor at St. Mary Cathedral (1968). In 1969, Gerber was appointed to the governing board of the Holy Family Center for the
developmentally disabled. He became diocesan director of the
Cursillo movement in 1970, and chancellor in 1973. Continuing as chancellor, Gerber served as pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Wichita from 1973 to 1975. In October 1975, Gerber was sent to
Rome to undertake his
postgraduate studies in
theology and
scripture. He received a
Licentiate of Sacred Theology summa cum laude from the
Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas. Upon his return to the Kansas in February 1976, Gerber resumed his work as chancellor and was appointed
chaplain to the
Sisters of St. Joseph and vicar for religious.
Bishop of Dodge City On October 16, 1976, Gerber was appointed the third bishop of Dodge City by
Pope Paul VI. He received his
episcopal consecration at the
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Wichita on December 14, 1976, from Bishop
David Maloney, with
Bishops Marion Forst and
Richard Hanifen serving as
co-consecrators. ==See also==