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Born in Bridgeport, Gernat was a lifelong area resident. A World War II Army veteran, he was a retired sergeant for the Bridgeport Police Department, with 28 years of service. After his retirement, he was a union negotiator for the AFL-CIO police union for 20 years.
Gernat was an avid New York Yankees fan, and he loved to sing, especially "God Bless America." He was fluent in English, Slavonic and Italian.
He is survived by his daughters, Linda Lia Couton and her husband Bill of Stratford, and Gina Santoro and her husband Frank of Oxford; grandchildren Mario, Carla and John Lia, and Noelle and Elena Santoro; step-grandson Graig Couton; nieces Kathye Robles and Nancee Popic; and good friend and neighbor Marie Poppa.
Gernat was predeceased by his wife, Ornella Moretti Gernat; parents Vasil and Mary (Kepchar) Gernat; and sister Helen Popic.
Visiting hours will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 1, at the Adzima Funeral Home, 50 Paradise Green Place, Stratford. Services will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 2, at 9:15 a.m. at the funeral home and at 10 a.m. in the Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Church of St. John the Baptist, Bridgeport. Interment with full military honors will be in St. John's Cemetery, Stratford.
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