Louise Gerdes
Louise Gerdes, 95, of Anamosa died early Feb 7, 1987, at the Anamosa Care Center.
Gretke Katharine Luise Andreesen was born Nov 7, 1891, in Leerhafe, Germany; the daughter of Henry and Margaret Folkers Andreesen. She received her education in the schools in Germany.
Louise and her family moved to the United States when she was 14 years old. She married Gerhard William Gerdes May 7, 1913, at Wayne Zion Lutheran Church. The couple farmed all their married life in Fairview and Cass townships. Mr. Gerdes died in 1959.
In 1980, Mrs. Gerdes moved to the Lutheran Home in Manchester and lived there for two years. She has been a resident of the Anamosa Care Center for the past four years. Mrs. Gerdes was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church and the Senior Circle of St. Paul's.
She is survived by two sons, Louis of Dixon, Ill., and Garrett of Anamosa; six daughters, Gertrude Nost of Cedar Rapids, Mrs. William (Frances) Brodersen of Olin, Mrs. Joe (Marie) Schoon Till of Bellevue, Mrs. John (Claire) Hayes of Redding, Calif., Mrs. Ralph (Helen) Bender of Tustin, Calif., and Joyce Joslyn of Iowa City; 26 grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.
She is also survived by three sisters, Hannah Carlson of Arlington, Texas, Clara Schwirtz of Anamosa and Grace Woodworth of Kennewick, Wash. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, a son, Alfred; four brothers and three sisters.
Services for Mrs. Gerdes were held at 1:30 pm Feb 10th, at St. Paul Lutheran Church with the Rev. Ronald Bronemann officiating. Burial was in Forest Hill Cemetery, rural Anamosa. Goettsch Funeral Home in Anamosa was in charge of arrangements. A memorial fund has been established.
Casket bearers were Craig Schoon, John Brodersen, Jeffrey Joslyn, Steve Hamilton, Greg Gerdes and Ron Delaney.