Kenneth A. Gewertz
| Kenneth A. Gewertz | |
|---|---|
| Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from Legislative District 3B |
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In office January 11, 1972 – January 8, 1974 Serving with Francis J. Gorman |
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| Preceded by | Thomas J. Shusted and James M. Turner |
| Succeeded by | District dissolved |
| Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 4th Legislative District |
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In office January 8, 1974 – January 8, 1980 Serving with Francis J. Gorman |
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| Preceded by | Newly created |
| Succeeded by | Daniel Dalton and Dennis L. Riley |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
December 1, 1934 Chicago, Illinois |
| Died | December 12, 2006 (aged 72) Orlando, Florida |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Diane Vasbinder (m. 1957; div. 1986) |
| Children | two daughters, one son |
| Residence | Deptford Township, New Jersey |
| Alma mater | Temple University |
| Occupation | Building supplies |
Kenneth A. Gewertz (December 1, 1934 – December 12, 2006) was an American Democratic Party politician who served as Mayor of Deptford Township, New Jersey and in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1972 to 1980. His advocacy efforts on behalf of his hometown earned him a reputation as "Mr. Deptford".
Gewertz was born on December 1, 1934, in Chicago as one of four children and moved as a one-year-old to Philadelphia, where he attended West Philadelphia High School, dropping out of school after two years, after which he served in the military and worked at a number of odd jobs. He is a graduate of Temple University.
He was president of a building supply company.
Fond of bringing attention to himself, Gewertz was known for driving an orange Corvette and wearing yellow plaid suits while on the floor of the Assembly. In a 1980 incident, he filed charges against a group of four prostitutes in Atlantic City who had stolen $8,000 worth of jewelry from him.
Gewertz died of a heart attack on December 12, 2006, at the age of 72 at a home he owned in Orlando, Florida.
A resident of Deptford Township, New Jersey, Gewertz joined the Deptford Township Police Department in 1962, earning attention by bringing a .357 magnum for use on the job. He was appointed as the township's chief of police in January 1963. He and his entire 12-member police force resigned in May of that year, staging the first police strike in state history, to protest the hiring of an officer who didn't live in the municipality. After the strike ended, the Township Committee refused to bring him back as chief.
He was a member of the Deptford Township Council from 1966 to 1968, and served as the township's mayor from 1969 to 1972. In 1970, while serving as mayor, the township changed its form of government to the Council-Manager form, removing executive powers from Gewertz as mayor to an appointed Township Manager.
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