Gerald Lawrence Mansbach

Gerald L. Mansbach, 100, passed away on 15 November 2025 at the Barrington of Carmel, IN. He was born on May 24, 1925, in New York City to Jacob and Ethel (Joller) Mansbach. His family moved to Ft. Wayne, IN when Jerry was 10. He graduated from South Side High School in December 1942 before attending Indiana University, where he played on the IU basketball team and where his life-long passion for sports was first expressed. 

After a year at IU, Jerry enlisted in the United States Army, where he served in the 88th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron MECZ, 8th Armored Division, under the overall command of General Patton. In December 1944 / January 1945, he was engaged and wounded in the Battle of the Bulge. Only in September 1945 was he medically discharged, having been awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, and the Silver Star for extraordinary heroism in combat. 

Following his recovery from war injuries, Jerry enrolled at the University of Illinois from which he graduated in 1948. While there, he met Geraldine Weinstein. They were married and eventually moved to Ft. Wayne, where they raised a family and where he conducted his business life, first in retail and then in financial services. 

His wife passed away in 1993. After a time as a widower, he met and married Shirley Halpern Mansbach to whom he was wed until her death in 2019. 

In 2012, Jerry was on the first Honor Flight trip to Washington, DC in order to to be acknowledged as among the survivors of World War II. In 2013, France awarded Gerald L. Mansbach the French Legion of Honor, that nation’s highest civilian award, on account of his exceptional bravery in fighting for the survival of the French Republic during WWII. Of all the many honors Jerry received in his storied life, the Legion of Honor remained his most cherished. And he never stinted on time or energy to lecture on the nature of military sacrifice for the defense of national honor and freedom. 

Survivors include Dr. Steven Mansbach of Connecticut and New York City; Lynn (Greg) Friedman of Chicago, IL; Amy (Michael) Murphy of Houston; Dr. William (Colleen) Mansbach of Potomac, Maryland; Gary Halpern of Chicago, IL; Karen Halpern of Indianapolis; 7 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. Jerry was predeceased in death by his sister June Shafer; his wives, Geraldine Weinstein Mansbach and Shirley Halpern Mansbach; and his daughter-in-law, Julia Frane.