When Wilmer Fred Gingerich was born on 18 April 1899, in Stanford, McLean, Illinois, United States, his father, Christian Gingerich Jr, was 37 and his mother, Elisabeth Appel, was 35. He married Lillian Beatrice Wollett on 12 October 1940. He lived in Garfield Township, Kossuth, Iowa, United States in 1910 and San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States in 1940. He registered for military service in 1942. He died on 18 January 1976, in San Mateo, San Mateo, California, United States, at the age of 76, and was buried in Colma, San Mateo, California, United States.