Elizabeth Rose (Gerkin) MILLANG

GERKIN, MILLANG, THOMAS, CORNWELL, BLAKE, SPYKERMAN, SANFORD, HABERSTADT, PETTIGREW

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/10/2016 at 17:39:00

December 2, 1921 ---- January 7, 2016

Elizabeth Millang, 94, of Fort Dodge, died January 7, 2016 at the Paula J. Baber Hospice Home. Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Thursday, January 14 at Trinity United Methodist Church. Interment will be held in North Lawn Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, Jan 13 at Gunderson Funeral Home & Cremation Services.

Elizabeth Rose Gerkin was born on December 2, 1921 on a farm near Eagle Grove, Iowa to Clay and Daphne (Thomas) Gerkin. She graduated from Eagle Grove High School in 1940 in the clerical field. Following graduation she worked at a dime and dollar store, then the Fort Dodge Police Station in an office. In 1942, Elizabeth was married to Homer Millang at Ridgeland, SC. Elizabeth followed her husband while he served in the Air Force, being stationed in Savannah, Georgia, Tampa, Florida and Walterboro, SC before Homer served overseas.

Elizabeth returned to Badger, IA to wait for her husband to return from service, after spending some time with her folks in Indiana and Homer's folks in Iowa. When Homer returned from service they farmed for her parents in Indiana then returned to Iowa to farm near Badger. Elizabeth was a homemaker, helping out on the farm and raising their three daughters.

Elizabeth was a longtime member of the First Christian Church where she served as deaconess, CWF President and assisted teaching Sunday school. After First Christian Church closed she became a member of Trinity United Methodist Church. She was a 4-H leader and member of the Badger 39'ers where she served as Secretary for a few years.

Elizabeth is survived by daughters Gwen (Lowell) Cornwell of Fort Dodge, IA, Pam (John) Blake of Marshalltown, IA, son-in-law Jerry (Sylvia) Spykerman of Elkader, IA, granddaughters Christine Cornwell, Shelly (Steve) Sanford all of Fort Dodge, Lori Cornwell of Minnetonka, MN and great grandsons Austin & Nicholas Sanford of Fort Dodge, brother, Robert Gerkin and a sister Vivian (Howard) Haberstadt of Sullivan, IN as well as many other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Homer Millang, daughter Barb Spykerman and two infant brothers and a sister Viola Pettigrew.

Memorials may be directed towards Trinity United Methodist Church or to the Paula J. Baber Hospice Home.

January 10, 2016
Fort Dodge Messenger -- Iowa