The Sea Ranch has lost one of its most talented photographers. Mel Gerst died of Sudden Cardiac Arrest on June 21, 2019, while relaxing in the evening with his wife, Jan.  It seemed as if the entire local paramedic team and volunteers responded within three minutes after the 911 call, but, despite heroic efforts, they were unable to restart his heart.

Mel was born on October 27, 1940, in Blair, Nebraska.  He lived in Des Moines, Iowa, most of his younger years and graduated from Iowa State University with a BS degree in Aerospace Engineering.  Mel started his career as a rocket specialist at Rocketdyne in Canoga Park in Southern California. The U.S. space program was just getting underway in response to the Soviet’s 1957 launch of Sputnik. Mel was selected to work on solving problems with the Lunar Excursion Module, which landed the Apollo astronauts on the moon.  The module was referred to as the “LEM”, and it was only natural that Mel was nicknamed Lem, Mel spelled backwards.  He and a few senior engineers were responsible for solving the module’s design problems and the Apollo 11 mission was safely and successfully completed on July 20, 1969, well within JFK’s deadline of the end of the decade.  Yay Mel!

Over the span of 30 years, Mel and Jan, had two successful businesses in Southern California and Silicon Valley.  While living in Saratoga, they discovered The Sea Ranch and purchased a second home there on the hillside in early 2000.  They named it “Raven’s View”, but that’s another story.  In 2006, Mel and Jan retired and moved to TSR full time. 

During his 13 years in retirement, Mel was able to focus on his life long love of photography.  He is known for his capture of the elusive “Green Flash” over the ocean at sunset. He participated in “Art in the Redwoods” every year and sold his work at the Discovery Open Studios for many years. Mel was a kind and wonderful husband, a storyteller and a lover of animals, especially wildlife and birds. 

Mel is survived by his wife of over 48 years, Jan, his sisters Judy Nann and Darlyne Sowder, both of Indiana, and his brother, Larry, of Vista, CA.  His daughter, Michelle Doyle, her husband, Tony, and grandchildren, Rose and Ronnie, live in Rancho Palos Verdes.  Mel is buried in the City of Monterey Cemetery.

Mel was a very special and unique guy and Jan is planning a celebration of his life on Saturday, August 24 starting at 4pm at their home at 440 Drover’s Close in TSR.