Fred W. Gerwick was a native of Alden, New York. He was the son of Fred R. Gerwick and Elizabeth Porter. He attended a Titusville, Pa. High School where he graduated in 1920. He then attended the University of Pittsburgh from 1920-1922. He was married to the former Louise O’Donnell of Lafayette and had one daughter Frances Ann Gerwick. He is buried in Lafayette, LA.

He went to southwest Texas and worked for the Magnolia Petroleum Company of Texas and later the Houston Oil Company of Texas, performing geological production and scouting from 1932-1935. He was also employed by the T.B. Slick Estate as production foreman. From 1936 he was employed by one of the Layne Organizations where in 1964 he became president of Layne and Bowler service, a position he held until 1974 when he retired. After he retirement from Layne and Bowler Service, he joined his interests with Benton Well Service until his illness forced retirement in 1976.

He was a member of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering Society, Geological Society, the Lafayette Petroleum Club and Grace Presbyterian Church.