Alice C. Gehrke

Obituary

Alice Christine Gehrke was born on April 29, 1928, in Buffalo Lake, Minnesota. She was one of seven children; six girls and one boy born to Andrew and Cecelia (Hesse) Winkler. Alice was baptized as an infant and was later confirmed in her faith as a youth both at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Stewart, Minnesota.  She received her education in Buffalo Lake.

On June 19, 1948, Alice was united in marriage to LeRoy Gehrke at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Stewart. This marriage was blessed with two daughters, Patty and Pam.   Alice and LeRoy lived in Brownton, Minnesota, before spending the majority of their marriage living in Hutchinson, Minnesota.  Together they shared nearly 70 years of marriage. 

Alice worked at the Hutchinson Hospital and her passion was helping people who couldn’t help themselves.  She became an assistant living provider and loved her clients.  She retired in 2012. Alice belonged to St. Anastasia Catholic Church and was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Post #96. 

Alice provided so many things for her family and also for others.  She bought kids bikes that didn’t have one or couldn’t afford one.  Alice outfitted a number of kids with winter jackets, hats, mittens and boots because they didn’t have any and helped flood the back yard for ice skating and always made sure everyone was taken care of.  She taught her daughters the true meaning of a clean house and the “stick to it” to get things done.  Alice loved spending the Holidays with her two grandchildren, Jay and Brandi.  The two of them were such a delight to her that she planned weeks ahead of time getting everything “just right”.  Her two great-grandchildren, Taylen and Tanner were a gift she cherished and always had a full candy drawer and special toys for them.  Decorating her home inside and out was pure joy for her and flowers were her specialty and her designer touch made them even more beautiful.  Half the fun was running all over creation looking for just the right color.  There wasn’t anything she couldn’t cook because if LeRoy could catch it or shoot it, we ate it; fish, venison, geese, ducks, elk and even turtle.   Alice and LeRoy were quite a spectacle on the dance floor and it was so awesome to watch them.  Their last dance was at Jay and Paula’s wedding and the dance floor cleared so they could dance.  We will never forget it!  Alice loved life and lived it to the fullest.  Alice cherished every minute spent with her family, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and friends.

On Tuesday, April 10, 2018, Alice went to heaven to be with the Winkler family.  She is the last of them and we are positive she got a roaring welcome.  Alzheimer’s took her life but it couldn’t take her spirit.  We were lucky to have her!!  Blessed be her memory.

Alice is survived by her:
Husband of almost 70 years, LeRoy Gehrke of Hutchinson,
Children, Pat Lang and her husband, Dave Skoog of Lake Allie,
                Pam Olson of Hutchinson;
Grandchildren, Dr. Jay Lang and his wife, Paula of Nisswa, MN,
                         Brandi Maus and her husband, Pat of Hutchinson, MN;
Great-Grandchildren, Taylen and Tanner Maus of Hutchinson, MN;
Many other relatives and friends.

Alice is preceded in death by her: Parents, Andrew and Cecelia Winkler; Sisters, Rosella Meuhlberg, Cecelia Sturges, Viola Braun, Helen Callier, and Evelyn Ewert; Brother, John Winkler; Ron Lang and Terry Metag (fathers of Dr. Jay Lang and Brandi Maus).