William H. "Bill" Gast, 89, St. Henry, died Nov. 3, 2012, at Riverside Methodist Hospital, Columbus.

He was born Aug. 30, 1923, in St. Henry, to Lewis and Leona Beckman Gast. On July 21, 1945, he married Geraldine Feldhake, who survives.

Also surviving are six children, Elaine (Gary) Broering, St. Henry, Peggy (Richard) Harkins, Marion, Kathy (Jim) Broering, Dublin, Bo (Jane) Gast, St. Henry, Dorothy (Duncan) Abernathy, Richmond, Va., and Steve (Lucy) Gast, Dove Canyon, Calif.; a brother, John (Marty) Gast, North Fort Myers, Fla.; a sister, Jean (Jack) Bergman, St. Henry; three in-laws, Bea Gast, St. Henry, Joan (Mark) Wenning, St. Henry and Margaret Mestemaker, St. Marys; 15 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.

Deceased are two brothers, Jim and Robert Gast; a brother-in-law, Robert Mestemaker; and a grandson, Joel Broering.

He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps and was a POW in Germany during World War II. He was a member of St. Henry Catholic Church; St. Gasper Del Bufalo 4th degree K of C, Minster; St. Henry K of C; Mercer County Elks; and St. Henry American Legion. He was formerly a member of the St. Henry school board and the church choir, as well as president and agricultural manager for Beckman & Gast Co., St. Henry, and president of the Ohio Food Processors Association. He received the H.D. Brown Person of the Year Award from the Ohio Food Processors.

Funeral Mass is 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. Henry Catholic Church, the Rev. Tom Hemm officiating. Burial with military rites will follow at St. Henry Cemetery.

Calling is 2-8 p.m. Tuesday and 9-10 a.m. Wednesday at Hogenkamp Funeral Home, St. Henry.

Memorials may be given to CALL Food Pantry, Celina, or the Cancer Association of Mercer County.

Condolences may be left at hogenkampfh.com.