Visitation: THURSDAY, Jan. 29, 2015: 2-4 & 7-9 pm at The Dietrich Funeral Homes, Inc., 2480 Kensington Ave., Amherst.
Service: FRIDAY, Jan. 30, 2015: A Funeral
Service will be held at 11:30 am at The Dietrich Funeral Homes, Inc. GRADL – Gerald G.
January 20, 2015,
beloved husband of
Carol (Voss) Gradl;
loving father of Debbie
(Mark) Morabito,
Gerald (Debbie),
Garrett, Deanna
(Scott) Saxon and Geoffrey (Lillian)
Gradl; grandfather of ten grandchildren
and one great-granddaughter; brotherin-
law of John and Linda Darowz; also
survived by nieces and nephews, and
dear friends Joyce (Richard)
Linneborn. Family and friends may call
Thursday 2-4 and 7-9 PM at the
DIETRICH FUNERAL HOME INC.,
2480 Kensington Ave., Amherst,
where funeral services will be held on
Friday at 11:30 AM. Flowers gratefully
declined. Memorials may be made to
the 4 Score Club, St. Luke’s Children
Hospital or Roswell Park Cancer
Institute. Online condolences may be
shared at www.TheDietrichFuneralHome.com June 9, 1935 — Jan. 20, 2015 Gerald G. Gradl, of Amherst, a retired professional race car driver and owner of Jerry Gradl Motors, died Jan. 20 at a hospital in St. Petersburg, Fla., where he had been spending the winter. He was 79. Born in Buffalo, Mr. Gradl attended Hutch-Tech High School. He began racing jalopy stock cars at age 16 in the former Civic Stadium and founded the Jerry Gradl Motors dealership in 1954. He was stationed in Korea with the Air Force during the late 1950s. He met the former Carol Voss at a Dodge dealership on Bailey Avenue in the late 1960s and they were married soon after. In 1970, he founded Shadracks, a nightclub with locations on Broadway and in St. Pete Beach, Fla. Mr. Gradl also served on the Board of Parking for the City of Buffalo during the 1970s. Among his racing awards were the jalopy championship at Civic Stadium in 1956, the street stock car championship at the Poconos in 1983 and first place in the world series of asphalt stock car racing in 1986 at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway. In addition to his wife, he is survived by two daughters, Debbie Morabito and Deanna Saxon; three sons, Gerald, Garrett and Geoffrey; 10 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Friday in Dietrich Funeral Home, 2480 Kensington Ave., Amherst