PIKE, Gwendolyn Irene (Wilder) 1907-2003

PIKE, VAN CAMP, WILDER

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 2/11/2009 at 13:36:37

ST. ANSGAR, IOWA — Gwendolyn Irene Pike, 96, of St. Ansgar, died Monday, August 25, 2003, at the Good Samaritan Center in St. Ansgar.

Funeral service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday at the St. Ansgar Baptist Church, with the Rev. Gary Gonnerman and the Rev. James Goodhue officiating. Burial will be in the First Lutheran Cemetery in St. Ansgar. Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Schroeder & Sites Funeral Home in St. Ansgar.

Gwendolyn was born on April 14, 1907, in Otranto Township, Mitchell County, to Elmer L. and Ethel (Van Camp) Wilder.

She married Archie Pike on November 7, 1925 in Austin, Minnesota. She liked gardening, started crocheting at the age of 76 and did doilies for all her children and grandchildren.

She spent 62 years on the family farm. Gwendolyn was a lifelong member of the Otranto Community Church, was a member of the Ladies Aid and a member of Garden Club. She also raised sheep. Her home was always open for coffee and meals and was a summer home for relatives.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband in 1983; daughter, Dawn McCormack; three brothers; two sisters; three grandchildren and three sons-in-law.

Gwendolyn is survived by seven daughters, Georgia Lindley of LaPorte City; Barbara Leraaen (Oral) of St. Ansgar; Mary Kittleson (Edward) of Greene, Audrey Goodew (Carroll) of Lewisburg, N.C.; Frances Milne (John) of Waterloo, Sandra Keith (Roger) of Algona, and Gwendolyn Eileen Helfter (James) of Sherrard, Illinois; 41 grandchildren; 100+ great-grandchildren; 25+ great-great-grandchildren; three sisters-in-law; Dorothy Naber of Mason City, Alice Olson of Northwood, and Thelma Delaney of Austin, Minn.

Arrangements are by Schroeder & Sites Funeral Home, St. Ansgar - (641) 713-4920.

[Mason City Globe Gazette, Aug. 27, 2003]