GERDES, Gertrude H. (Ludeking) (1901-1985)

LUDEKING, KIESAU, GERDES, GIESKING, RITTENHOUSE, KIBBY

Posted By: Connie Ellis (email)
Date: 3/24/2011 at 09:56:28

SOURCE: Waukon, Iowa, WAUKON DEMOCRAT, October 3, 1985
Contributor: Connie Ellis (Not related)

Funeral services for Gertrude H. Gerdes, age 84, of Mason City, Iowa, were held Monday morning September 30 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Mason City with the Rev. Murley A. Severtson officiating. Graveside services were held at 1 p.m. in Bingham Township Cemetery, Woden, Iowa with Hogan-Bremer Colonial Chapel of Mason City in charge of arrangements.

Gertrude died Friday, September 27, 1985 at a Mason City, Iowa hospital. She was born September 23, 1901 at Woden, Iowa in Hancock County, the daughter of Ulrich and Mary (Kiesau) Ludeking. She attended Waldorf College at Forest City, Iowa and Iowa State Teachers College at Cedar Falls, Iowa. She taught for eight years in country schools near Woden and Luana, Iowa.

On July 10, 1933 she married Theodore Gerdes at Fairmont, Minnesota. They lived in Mason City, Iowa for a short time. They moved to Clear Lake, Iowa and lived there until her husband's death in 1973 after which she moved to Mason City. While living in Clear Lake, Mrs. Gerdes was active in the Zion Lutheran Church, later transferring her membership to Trinity Lutheran Church in Mason City, Iowa.

Survivors include two sons, Robert W. Gerdes of Winthrop Harbor, Illinois and Ronald T. Gerdes of Rochester, Minnesota; 4 grandchildren; 2 sisters, Mrs. Ernest (Estelle) Giesking and Mrs. Arlene Rittenhouse, both of Woden, Iowa; and two sisters-in-law Connie Ludeking of Waukon, Iowa and Mary Ludeking of San Jose, California. Connie Ludeking and Mary Kibby, of Waukon, Iowa, attended the funeral services in Mason City.