Lois D. Getzke

Obituary

Lois Dorothy Getzke was born on October 5, 1925, in Bemidji, Minnesota. She was the daughter of Pastor Gustav and Judith (Peterson) Sanstead. Lois was baptized by her father and later confirmed in her faith by him. She grew up in Bemidji, Cannon Falls, Willmar, and Lengby, Minnesota, and Valley City, North Dakota. Lois graduated in 1943 from the Valley City High School. She attended Valley City State College and graduated from Swedish Hospital School of Nursing in 1947.

On August 20, 1949, Lois was united in marriage to Glenn Getzke in Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota by her father. Their marriage was blessed with four children, Paul, Thomas, Michael, and Mariann. Lois and Glenn resided in Hutchinson for the majority of their marriage. They lived on Belle Lake in McLeod County for 25 years and Lake Washington in Meeker County for 10 years. Lois and Glenn shared 53 years of blessed marriage until Glenn passed away in 2002.         

Lois worked at Hutchinson Community Hospital as a nurse and Burns Manor in Hutchinson as Director of Nursing. She also worked as a nurse at Emmanuel Home in Litchfield, Minnesota, and at Walker Methodist Health Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Lois worked in the nursing field for over 40 years before retiring in 1994. She was a member of All Saints Lutheran Church in Darwin and a former Eastern Star member, serving as Worthy Matron.

Lois enjoyed reading, playing Bridge and Scrabble as well as word games.  She also valued relaxing at the lake and participating in outdoor activities.  Lois enjoyed spending many hours on her computer. She especially enjoyed spending time with her family. Lois loved traveling with her husband in their motorhome, spending many winters in the south.

Lois passed away on Wednesday, July 3, 2019, at Harmony River Living Center in Hutchinson at the age of 93 years. Blessed be her memory.

Lois is survived by her:

Sons, Paul Getzke and his wife, Amy Jo, of Bloomington, MN,
          Thomas Getzke and his wife, Sharon, of Eagan, MN,
          Michael Getzke and his wife, Mary, of Hutchinson, MN,
Daughter, Mariann Cuff and her husband, Thomas, of Palmyra, VA;
Grandchildren, John Getzke and his wife Melissa, Daniel Getzke, Andrew Getzke and his fiancée Missie Thiele, Laura Rohm and her husband Joseph, Gratia Getzke, Theodore Getzke, Joel Getzke, Sara Seal and her husband Jonathan, and Matthew Cuff and his wife Kelly;
Great-grandchildren, Xander Getzke, Madelyn Cuff, Aria Seal, and Lukas Getzke;
Sisters, Mary Steinke of San Diego, CA,
             Eva Downs of Two Harbors, MN;
many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Lois was preceded in death by her parents, Pastor Gustav and Judith Sanstead; husband, Glenn Getzke; sisters, Carolyn Cotter, Ruth Fuller, and Ardis Reichel; brother, John Sanstead; and infant siblings, Martha, Mark and Phillip Sanstead.