Gerke, Josephine Helen

GERKE, CRAMBLET, GARVEY, ANDERSON, MCGRAW, BROWN, BURNETT, VORHEIS, BARR, ROMER

Posted By: Ruth Maring - VOLUNTEER
Date: 3/16/2010 at 16:16:18

The Clinton Herald
March 4, 2010
Josephine Helen Gerke
Associated Press

CLINTON — Josephine Helen Gerke died on Wednesday, March 3rd at the age of 92. She had been a resident of The Alverno in Clinton, Iowa.

Mass of the Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Prince of Peace Catholic Church. Burial will be at a later date. A luncheon will be at St. Boniface Hall, 2520 Pershing Blvd., following the church service. Visitation will be from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Friday at the Clinton Chapel Snell-Zornig Funeral Home and Crematory.

Josephine (Cramblet) Gerke was born on January 16, 1918, in Boone, Iowa, to Catherine Agnes Garvey and Thomas Edward Cramblet. Many of her ancestors had immigrated from Dingle, County Kerry, Ireland with many of them later living in Boone. She spent her early years in Boone, eventually moving with her mother and stepfather to Clinton in her teens. Her mother, “Aggie,” owned and operated The Anchorage boat docks in Clinton.

She graduated from St. Mary’s High School in 1936. She married Edward Anderson. They had four children. She later married Frederick Gerke in 1967.

During her lifetime, she had worked at several jobs to help support her family. Those included Clinton Garment Co., Ketelsen Grocery, Eble Office Supply and Clinton Corn Processing. She retired from Clinton Corn and along with Fred spent many winters in Pharr, Texas.

Jo was a member of Prince of Peace Parish, Clinton Women’s Club, Mercy Hospital Auxiliary, and Christian Women’s group.

She is survived by three daughters, Lynn (Jim) McGraw, Janet (David) Brown, Jolene (Edward) Burnett and one son, Victor Anderson (wife, Katherine, deceased); two stepdaughters, Georgia Vorheis and Betty (Victor) Barr. Also, 7 grandchildren, 3 stepgrandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and 2 stepgreat-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Fred Gerke; a sister, Ruth Romer; and a daughter-in-law, Katie Anderson.

Memorials may be made to: Parkinson’s Disease Association, Parkinson Plaza, 135 Parkinson Ave., Staten Island, NY 10305; Genesis Hospice, 611 N. Second St., Clinton, IA 52732; and Prince of Peach Parish, Box 578, Clinton, IA 52733-0578.

Online condolences may be expressed by visiting www.snellzornig.com.

Death date: March 3, 2010