Captain – Fire Station 48
Deceased:
September 29, 2020
Appointed:
01/29/1959
Pensioned:
08/01/1989 – FS 48
Service: TBA
Donations:
IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, PLEASE SEND DONATIONS TO:
Widows, Orphans & Disabled Firefighter’s Fund
PO BOX 41903
Los Angeles, CA 90041
Capt. Ramaekers was one of my drill instructors, one class act, RIP May God bless you and your family.
Gerry was the designated “bad guy” among the drill tower captains in 1973, and everyone in the class was afraid of him. A few years later, I worked with him, and found out his real personality; he was a peach….a gentile man who was so easy to get along with, I had a hard time thinking this was the same man who we feared in the tower.
Hats off to a true gentleman, and may he Rest In Peace.
When I made Captain and was assigned to old fire Station 33, Gerry was the one who answered to door bell when I first visited my new assignment as he was the Engineer on the other shift. He took time to show me around the station and talk about the district.
I Immediately liked him and enjoyed working with him before he also was promoted to Captain. Little did we know at the time, that in two years we both would be reporting to Drill Tower 89 as new recruit instructors. We worked together as instructors for a number of classes. As others have said, he could be the “Bad Guy” but down deep he was a “gentle lamb” who worried about every recruit he taught, in the Tower.
He was a good Engineer, a fine officer and above all a gentleman. What more could ask for in a friend. He will be missed by those who knew him.
Bob Mac Millan
I was another one of those brand new recruits that Gerry trained in 1973, my class was in July. Like others have said he was our designated bad guy and he did a spectacular job of convincing us that he was just that. We were afraid to mention his name let alone look at him. Don Cate was our house mother Captain and the two of them did a great good cop/bad cop routine.
Many years later when I became a Drill Master, I copied much of what we learned from them. Like others have said, when I 1st came across Gerry in the field I couldn’t believe that he was the same guy.
He did a great job for the fire department and those of us who were his students truly appreciate the solid foundation that he created for us.