GEERDES, Gordon 1931-1986

GEERDES, ECKHOFF, DENEUI

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 4/23/2014 at 05:49:32

Services Held For Gordon Geerdes, 55

Funeral services for Gordon Geerdes were held on Saturday, Dec. 13, at 1 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Steamboat Rock. Pastor Bruce Baillie officiated at the services.

Music was given by Mrs. Larry Williams who sang one selection, "How Great Thou Art." Mrs. Lee Pieters was organist and accompanist.

Mrs. George Hemmen and Mrs. Sandra Bright were flower attendants.

Ushers were Jim Rose and Harold Jaspers.

Casket bearers were George Hemmen, Ralph Gast, Harris Reiter, Andy Balvanz, Irvin Schallau and Fred Dinnes. Honorary casket bearers were Robert Veurink, Keith deNeui, Royce Harms, Harvey Eiten, Harold Jaspers, Cornelius Hoogland, Rex Heard and Charles Harvey. The interment service was held in the Shiloh Cemetery in Wellsburg.

Gordon Geerdes passed away around 4:30 Wednesday morning, December 10, 1986, at the Covenant Medical Center at West Ninth Street in Waterloo following a short illness. He had been a patient there since November 30th. He reached the age of 55 years, 6 months and 9 days.

He was born June 1, 1931, on a farm in Grundy County, near Wellsburg, the son of Ben G. and Grace (Eckhoff) Geerdes and received his early education in the Pine Creek Country School southwest of Wellsburg. He graduated from Wellsburg High School with the Class of 1949. On November 27, 1951, he was married to Stella deNeui at the parsonage of the Second Christian Reformed Church in Wellsburg by the Rev. Carl J. Toeset. Following their marriage they made their home on a farm in Hardin County west of Wellsburg. Later they lived on other farms in the area and then in 1966 they moved to Steamboat Rock where they continued to make their home. This union was blessed with five children.

They were privileged to celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary this year.

Gordon made profession of faith in the First Christian Reformed Church of Wellsburg and later became a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Steamboat Rock by transfer of membership. He was an elder in the church.

He was engaged in the painting and decorating business in the area for 25 years. He was a member of the Steamboat Rock town council for several years.

Preceding him in death were: his father, Ben G. Geerdes, who passed away on April 30, 1985, and an infant brother, Richard Steven Geerdes.

Those left to mourn his passing are: his wife, Stella; one son, Jim Geerdes of Steamboat Rock; four daughters, Gail Harms of Coralville; (Jean) Mrs. E. J. Stupp of Marshalltown; (Cindy) Mrs. John Butters of Clinton; (Joey) Mrs. Steven Loken of Steamboat Rock; six grandchildren; his mother, Mrs. Grace Geerdes of Wellsburg; a sister (Alvena), Mrs. Robert Veurink of Grant, Michigan; and many other relatives and friends.

The Doyen Funeral Home of Wellsburg was in charge of funeral arrangements.

--The Grundy Register/Wellsburg Herald (Grundy Center, Iowa), 18 December 1986, pg 10