Dorothy Gerber

Dorothy S. Gerber, 84; Developed Baby Food

Dorothy Scott Gerber, the widow of Daniel F. Gerber, who founded the Gerber Products Company, died in her sleep Sunday at her home in Fremont, Mich., according to a company spokesman. She was 84 years old.

Mrs. Gerber played a key role in the introduction of Gerber baby food in 1928. Tired of straining foods for her own children, it occurred to her that if the Fremont Canning Company could puree tomatoes, it could also puree fruits and vegetables. Fremont was the predecessor to Gerber Products; the name was changed in 1941.

Her husband thought the idea was sound and that other mothers might welcome commercially strained baby foods if they could be sold cheaply at regular grocery outlets.

The first batches of strained vegetables were then produced. Mrs. Gerber, a native of Ithaca, Mich., who married Daniel Gerber in 1923, liked them and, more important, so did her 7-month-old daughter Sally. The new baby food was priced at 15 cents, considerably cheaper than similar foods, which until then had been obtainable largely through drug stores at 40 to 60 cents each.

Besides her daughter, Sally Phinny of Fremont, Mrs. Gerber is survived by four other children, Paula Warm of Grand Rapids, Mich., and Gay Cummings, Scottie Merrill and Daniel Gerber Jr., all of Fremont. She is also survived by 18 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/1988/09/15/obituaries/dorothy-s-gerber-84-de...