Gale, Mary G. 1918-2003

GALE, BURKET, COOLEY, LUNDBERG

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/8/2007 at 13:49:32

AKRON, Iowa -- Mary G. Gale, 85, of Akron died Saturday, Oct. 25, 2003, at Akron City Convalescent Care Center.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Akron. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m. and a parish prayer service at 7 p.m., at Schroeder Funeral Home in Akron.

Mary Grace (Burket) Gale was born June 9, 1918, in Alton, Iowa, to Leroy Kirwan and Eunice G. (Cooley) Burket. The Burket family moved to Akron in 1928, from Alton. She attended school in Akron and was a member of the Methodist Church. She graduated from Akron Community High School in 1936. During her school years in Akron, she participated in many musical activities. She and her younger sister, Eunice, often sang duets for weddings, funerals and other church activities. She competed with other schoolmates in the state vocal music contests, where she won Division I ratings.

She was united in matrimony with William Albert Lundberg on Oct. 19, 1940. To this union two daughters were born, Barbara Davis and Beverly Allen. Mr. Lundberg passed away in 1954. She married Francis Lloyd Gale on Feb. 9, 1959. To this union a son was born, Donald Gale. Mr. Gale passed away in 1986.

After Mr. Lundberg's death, she and her daughters returned to Akron to live. She worked for 28 years for the Akron city clerk's office. She also worked for the Akron Creamery and for many years was the bookkeeper for Kerr Motor Company. She retired from the Akron city clerk's office in 1983.

She continued to participate in musical activities as an adult. She was often asked to sing at weddings and other church activities. She was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church, where she was a longtime member of the church coir and Catholic Daughters of America. She also was a member of the Book and Thimble Club and Embroidery Club. Prior to marrying Mr. Gale, she was a member of Order of the Eastern Star, where she achieved the role of Worthy Matron.

She is survived by her children, Barbara Davis of Carrollton, Texas, Beverly Allen and her husband, Ralph of Florala, Ala., and Donald Gale and his wife, Lori of Akron; five grandchildren, Apryl Allen James, Michelle Allen Tingley, Justin Allen, Michael Gale and Catherine Gale; two great-grandchildren, Dalton and Sage James; a sister, Eunice Duncanson of Merced, Calif.; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

In addition to her husbands, she was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Wilson Clinton Burket and Leroy Kirwan Burket; and a niece.

~source: The Sioux City Journal