Myrtle Gehrke, 97, of Winthrop

Myrtle Gehrke, 97, of Winthrop, died Friday, Nov. 21, 2014, at the Good Samaritan Society in Winthrop.
The funeral service will be Wednesday, Nov. 26, at 11 a.m., at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Penn Township, with the Rev. Andrew Hermodson-Olsen officiating. Visitation is Wednesday, Nov. 26, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., at the church.
Bev Wangerin is the organist, and soloist Darwin Frauendienst will sing “I’m But a Stranger Here.” Congregational hymns are “How Great Thou Art” and “Asleep in Jesus.”
Pallbearers are Lyle Schoelkopf, Joshua Streich, Ross Jahnke, Cole Johnson, Keenan Johnson and Alyssa Gehrke. Interment will be in the Winthrop Cemetery.
Myrtle Hulda (Ellies) Gehrke was born March 22, 1917, in Winthrop. She was the daughter of Fred and Anna (Becke) Ellies. She was baptized as an infant on April 22, 1917, by the Rev. George Diemer of Penn Township, and confirmed in her faith as a youth on June 22, 1930, by the Rev. J.J. Roesche at Peace Lutheran Church in Winthrop.
On Nov. 19, 1934, she was united in marriage to Raymond Gehrke by the Rev. C.J. Kowalske in Stewart. After their marriage, the couple farmed in the Brownton and Winthrop areas until retiring in 1968, when they moved into Winthrop. Mrs. Gehrke worked at the Winthrop Care Center for 16 years. The couple shared 75 years of marriage before Mr. Gehrke’s death on July 2, 2010. They were blessed with one son, Orville.
Mrs. Gehrke was a member of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in Penn Township all her married life.
Mrs. Gehrke enjoyed fishing, card playing, fancy work, quilting, gardening, flowers, baking and visiting. She especially loved spending time with her son, Orville, and her grandchildren.
She is survived by her son, Orville Gehrke of Burnsville; three grandchildren, Kimberly (husband Dave) Streich of Hutchinson, Karla (husband Craig) Johnson of Victoria and Kenton (wife Tracy) Gehrke of Sartell; 10 great-grandchildren, Josh and Anna Streich, Jessica (Streich) and Ross Jahnke, Samantha, Cole, Alea and Keenan Johnson, and Alex, Alyssa, Aidan and Lily Gehrke; four great-great-grandchildren, Taylah, Kenley and Bryn Jahnke and Andelyn Streich; stepsister, Helen Miller of Hutchinson; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Anna Ellies; husband, Raymond Gehrke; brothers, Milton (wife Elsie) Ellies and Melvin (wife Marie) Ellies; father-in-law and mother-in-law; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law; and stepbrothers, Clarence, Henry and Melvin Lehmberg.
Arrangements were by the Dalin-Hantge Funeral Chapel in Winthrop. Online obituaries and guest book are available at www.hantge.com [1].