Salvatore "Sal" Gerace passed away March 18, 2019 with his loving wife by his side in Ocala, Florida.  He was born August 8, 1931 to Philip and Rose Gerace.   After graduating High School he was a pitcher with the Philadelphia Athletics Baseball Team before serving in the United States Army during the Korean War.   Sal retired as a deputy sheriff from the Philadelphia Police Department in 1992.   He and his wife then moved to The Villages in 1997.  During retirement he loved playing cards, spending time with family and friends, golfing, Karaoke, dancing, cruising and was always the jokester of the family.  Survived by his loving wife Hedy; sister, Rose; brother, Philip; nephew, Dr. Quill and Betsy Turk; sister-in-law, Merrill Kagan Weston and many great friends.   He is preceded in death by his parents and brother Jeffrey Gerace.  Burial with full Military Honors at Florida National Cemetery will take place on Monday, March 25, 2019 at 1:30pm.  In lieu of flowers please make donations in his name to Temple Shalom 13563 Co Rd 101, Oxford, FL 34484 or Dementia Society of America www.dementiasociety.org/donate.  Shiva will be observed at his home Monday and Tuesday at 7 pm.