PRINCETON — Carl “Jaybird” Gerhardt, 78, of Princeton died Thursday at his home.

He retired from Marrow Paper Box Company of Chicago.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Caraway Gerhardt; one son, Craig Gerhardt of Caldwell County; seven daughters, Cindy Wawhorn of Breman, Cathy Helmer of Algonquin, Ill., Christine Duffy of Sturgis, Sue Duffy of Johnsburg, Ill., and Cheryl Fisher, Connie Oliver, and Krystal Gerhardt, all of Caldwell County; one sister, Alma Paradise of Geneva City, Wis.; and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by one son, Carl Fredrick Gerhardt Jr.; his parents were Carl and Marie Gerhardt.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Sunday at Morgan’s Funeral Home, with burial in Morse Cemetery. Friends may call after 5 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.