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Visitation:
4:00-7:00 p.m. Wednesday March 7, 2018 at
Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Home in Lincoln
Service:
11:00 a.m. Thursday March 8, 2018 at Zion Lutheran
Church in New Holland
Funeral home:
Fricke-Calvert-Schrader, Lincoln
Obituary
Gerald Gehrke, 94, formerly of New
Holland passed away at 6:32 p.m. on March 3, 2018 at
Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Lincoln,
surrounded by his loving family.
Gerald was born on March 1, 1924 in Lincoln, son of
William and Amanda (Franz) Gehrke. He married Vivian
Treakle on December 10, 1947 in New Holland. She
preceded him in death in January of 1992. He married
Alta Wood in 1995 in New Holland. She survives him.
Also surviving Gerald are his children: Marilyn
(Karl) Turner of Normal, Marj Medina of Issaquah,
WA, Linda (Brad) Helgeson of Lincoln, Brenda (Greg)
Roosevelt of Glen Carbon, David Gehrke of Kingston,
John Gehrke of Springfield, and Diane (Larry) Cook
of Lincoln; step children: Kathy Moorhead of
Lincoln, Deb Faner of Shawnee, KS, and Diane Faner
of Lincoln; 17 grandchildren and four
great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his
parents, one sister: Golda Mae Gehrke, one infant
brother: Merle, one daughter: Carolyn Gehrke, and
one grandson: Nicholas Schwalbach.
Gerald proudly enlisted in the United
States Army and served in the European Theatre
during WWII. He was in the 95th Infantry, Anti-Tank
Battalion, and earned several battle commendations
including the Bronze Star. Upon return from WWII, he
worked as a district sales manager for Fuller Seed
Company and as the elected Chairman of the local
ASCS county committee. He then began a 25 year
career as the County Executive Director of the ASCS
office, USDA. |
After retirement, he served as a Bank
Director for the New Holland Farmers Bank, and many
years on the Logan County Board of Review. He was a
lifelong member of Zion Lutheran Church in New
Holland and held many positions at the church. He
was a member of the American Legion Post # 715,
National Farmers Union, and active member of the Aid
Association for Lutherans. Gerald was a lifelong
farmer in the New Holland area. God, his family, his
Country, and his farm were very important to Gerald,
and he served them well. He will always be
remembered for his warm smile and he will be missed
by all that knew him.
Services for Gerald will be 11:00 a.m. Thursday
March 8, 2018 at Zion Lutheran Church in New Holland
with Rev. Charles Olander officiating. Visitation
will be from 4:00-7:00 p.m. Wednesday March 7, 2018
at Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Home in Lincoln,
IL and also one hour prior to service at the church
(10:00-11:00 a.m.). A family burial will be held at
a later date at Richmond Grove Cemetery in New
Holland. Memorials may be made in Gerald’s name to
Zion Lutheran Church in New Holland.
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