Fifth Generation

105. Vern Duane "Babe" GEBHARDT was born on 22 October 1936 in Scott Township, Monroe County, WI.^40,69 He died on 22 July 2009 at the age of 72 in Rochester, Olmstead County, MN.⁶⁹

Obituary Notes: "Vern D. “Babe” Gebhardt, 72 of Warrens, died Wednesday, July 22, 2009 at St. Mary‘s Hospital, Rochester, MN. He was born October 22, 1936 to Edwin and Sadie (Goetzka) Gebhardt at Warrens. He attended the Warrens Elementary School.

He was married to Nell Griner at the Coolidge Baptist Church in Coolidge, GA. Vern worked for Felton Manufacturing and as a mosser. He planted his first 20 acres of cranberry beds in 1969, and has been the owner and operator of Vern Gebhardt’s Cranberry Marsh. He enjoyed building cranberry bogs and inventing and manufacturing new equipment to be used on the marsh.

Vern had all sorts of interests; he enjoyed traveling with Nell in their motor home and spending time in Georgia. He watched the lift off of the space shuttle in Florida. He loved sitting on his Dozer and sculpting dirt. Any project he started he wouldn’t stop until it was finished. He raised catfish on his marsh, he loved to garden, and to plant flowers and landscape. He had a love for Great Danes and had a special companion with his dog, Blue. He will be deeply missed by all that knew and loved him.

He is survived by his wife, Nell, 4 children: Stephen (Betty), Gina (Todd) Potter, Kelly (Joy), Randy (Michelle) all of Warrens; 10 grandchildren: Heather (Tyler) Moore, Nicholas (Tiffany), Nathan, all of Warrens; Jared McConnell of LaCrosse, Kristine (Gary) Lund of Black River Falls; Blake Warthan, Krista, Kade, Riley, Reese all of Warrens; 4 great-grandchildren: Jazmine Gebhardt, Alexa Moore, Justiss Lund, and Libby Leis, a brother, Eugene (Evelyn), of Warrens; a sister, Elaine Morton of Warrens; a nephew, Robert Gebhardt of Warrens; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Doug Griffin of Warrens; Juanita Gebhardt of Warrens, Gerald (Marsha) Griner of Pavo, GA, Earl Griner of Coolidge, GA, Jenice (Joe) Hall of Coolidge, GA, June Griner of Coolidge, GA, and Teresa (Reggie) Carver of Hawkinsville, GA, nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, 2 brothers, Edwin Jr., and Gordon; 3 sisters, Vivian Van Voorhees, Arlene Babbitt and Marrianne Griffin; a brother-in-law Benjie Griner, a niece Eileen Schroeder, and a nephew, John Langland.

Funeral services will be held Monday, July 27, 2009, 1 p.m. at the Sonnenburg Family Funeral Home, Tomah. Pastor David Oakes will officiate. Burial will be in Warren Mills Cemetery at Warrens."

Vern Duane "Babe" GEBHARDT and LaNell "Nell" GRINER were married in Coolidge, Thomas County, GA.⁶⁹ LaNell "Nell" GRINER was born (date unknown).