Fourth Generation

97. Reuben Leo GERKE was born on 7 October 1923 in Adrian Township, Monroe County, WI.^28,129,130 He was baptized on 24 October 1923 in Adrian Township, Monroe County, WI.¹³⁰ He died on 16 August 1994 at the age of 70 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^28,129 Reuben was buried on 19 August 1994 in Jacksonville, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^129,131 in the Mount Vernon-Jacksonville Cemetery.

Reuben Leo GERKE and Loretta Mae SORENSON were married on 30 April 1943 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^28,132 Loretta Mae SORENSON, daughter of Hans C. SORENSON and Minnie A. MESNER, was born on 15 October 1921 in Knapp Township, Jackson County, WI.^4,131,133 She died on 26 April 2010 at the age of 88 in La Crosse, La Crosse County, WI.¹³³

Obituary Notes: "Loretta M. Gerke, 88, of Tomah, died Monday, April 26, 2010, at Franciscan Skemp Medical Center in La Crosse. She was born Oct. 15, 1921, to Hans and Minnie (Mesner) Sorensen in the town of Knapp. She was united in marriage to Reuben L. Gerke, April 30, 1943, at St. Paul Ev. Lutheran Church. He preceded her in death Aug. 16, 1994. Together, Reuben and Loretta farmed in the town of Adrian until moving to Tomah in 1973. In 1962, she went to work as a waitress at the Badger Café in Tomah and worked there for 38 years, 8 months and 18 days, retiring on March 22, 2000. She met many lifelong friends while working at the Badger Café. Loretta was an excellent cook. You were always sure to leave Loretta’s house with a full stomach and extras to take home. She also enjoyed watching the birds and flowers grow, especially her tulips, lilies of the valley and daffodils. She was a hard worker and never shied away from working outdoors with her hands. Later in life she could be found playing solitaire or working on word searches in her puzzle books.

She was a faithful member of St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ridgeville, and a member of the Altar Guild. Loretta’s greatest joy was spending time with her family and friends on birthdays, graduations and holidays, especially the yearly Thanksgiving family get-together. She was a devoted wife, and a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great great-grandmother, sister, and friend.

She is survived by 10 children, Shirley Nauman of Tomah, Sharleen (William) Ott of Lake Mills, Edwin Gerke of Tomah, Fern Gerke of Fitchburg, Darlene (Richard) Arttus of Tomah, Jane Kapinus of Fitchburg, Nancy Heleniak of Madison, Debra Gerke of Mauston, Ricky Gerke of Tomah and Diane Gerke of Tomah; 21 grandchildren, 44 great-grandchildren, three great-great-grandchildren; a sister, Marian (Anuff) Kersting of Janesville; a brother-in-law, LaVern Bernhardt of Tomah, nieces, nephews, many other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Reuben; a grandson, Derrin Squires; two sisters, Bertha Bernhardt and LaVerne Wachholz, and two brothers Walter and Lawrence “Bud” Sorensen; a brother-in-law, Maynard Wachholz, and a sister-in-law, Phyllis Sorensen.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 1, at 11 a.m. at St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church, Ridgeville. Pastor Matthew Minzlaff will officiate. Burial will be in Mount Vernon Cemetery in the town of Tomah.

Relatives and friends are invited to call on Friday from 4 until 8 p.m. at the Sonnenburg Family Funeral Home, 801 E. Monowau St., Tomah, and at the church on Saturday from 10 a.m. until the time of the service."

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Reuben Leo GERKE and Loretta Mae SORENSON had the following children: