NEW HAMPTON -Gertrude Ferkin, 97, New Hampton, died Tuesday, July 31, 2001 at Mercy Medical Center -New Hampton after a brief illness.

Funeral services are 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 4 at Trinity Lutheran Church, New Hampton, with Rev. Kevin Frey officiating. Carol Gorman will be organist and a granddaughter, Tiffany Robb will be violinist.

Interment will be in the New Hampton Cemetery with Rick Clark, Bob Ferkin, Wayne Moetsch, Cory Pester, Tom Dryer and Adam Abreu as pallbearers.

Visitation is 3-7 p.m. Friday/ Aug. 3 at Hugeback Funeral Home, New Hampton and an hour prior to the services at the church.

Gertrude was born in Roland on Jan. 24, 1904, the daughter of Ben and Sarah (Idso) Swenson. She attended Roland Grade School and High School. She was united in marriage with Howard Ferkin in Roland. Gertrude and her husband owned and operated grocery stores in Huxley and Marshalltown before moving to New Hampton. In 1947, the couple, with their son, Jim opened the first supermarket in New Hampton which they operated until 1960. Gertrude was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church and was a very active member of the hospital auxiliary for 20 years. In her free time, she enjoyed playing the organ and time with her bird, "Billy Boy".

Survivors include one son, Jim (Sharon) Ferkin, New Hampton; one daughter, Genevieve (Clyde) Clark, Mesa, AZ; five grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren.

Preceding her in death were her husband, Howard in 1970; grandson, Gary Ferkin in 1986; two sisters, Berdella Hanson and Bertha Teigland.

Source: New Hampton Tribune; Aug. 3, 2001 Page 4
from Elma library collection assembled by Marian (Marr) McGee
Transcribed by ABBYY FineReader® 12, Adapted to the Web by Bill Waters