Gertrude Iverson

Gertrude M. Iverson (Gertie) was the eldest of 9 children born to John and Amelia Baumann in rural Lamberton on November 29, 1912. Gertie never graduated from high school, as work on her parent's farm and tending to her 8 siblings took priority over any formal schooling. She was baptized, confirmed, celebrated her first communion and was married at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Lamberton. Gertie was a woman of strong character and was very religious. Gertie and her mother joined the Catholic Order of Lady Foresters in 1937 and has continued since that date receiving the coveted life time achievement award for over 70 years of service. Gertie met Clarence Iverson at a farm dance hall located beside her parent's farm site; they were married on October 27, 1939. Clarence and Gertie farmed and resided 1 mile south of Lamberton subsequent to their marriage. Being a farmer, she was extremely passionate about the weather and kept daily meticulous records. Her family was her life. She and Clarence produced 4 children, Eugene born on December 14, 1940, Bernice born on March 20, 1942, Albert born on July 7, 1943 and John born on December 30, 1944. As fate would have it, Clarence died at a very young age of 54, of a heart attack. This dramatic occasion left Gertie with the herculean task of raising 4 children and running a farm as a widower. She also worked outside the home to provide for her family. Two critical phases of her life required very special people to respectfully intervene. Albert Jeckell, her brother-in-law helped manage her affairs when she most needed help; upon the death of her husband. Upon a life of great health, the last decade was a challenge. Delores Berg stepped up and provided a beacon of virtue, strength, goodness, intellect and generosity of time. While the farm was a major part of her life, in 1974 Gertie did find the time to take a 3 week European trip to Austria, Italy, and Germany. Two years later she traveled to London and Switzerland. While life rendered many very positive and happy times, on January 6, 1996, she was in an extremely severe automobile accident in which her neck was broken. She was hospitalized for 8 months and in a neck brace halo for 3 months. (Yes, she wears a halo today). Gerties' life was a journey of survival. Driven by her friends and members of her family she was nourished by positive support, fierce loyalty, Christian beliefs, time honored 'giving while living', instilling dreams, and her own determination to insure that the people that helped her would not be let down. Bingo was a big part of her life, not only playing the game, but she called bingo every Monday for over 20 years at the nursing home in Lamberton. In her later years, she loved to embroider (good therapy for her hands she always said). Many of her friends and family have been the recipients of the fruits of her labor; over 600 dish towels and pillow cases. She took great pride in each and everyone she made. Gertie is survived by her 4 children and their spouses, 6 grandchildren (Geeve Iverson, Ellie Iverson, Alan Knadel, Aaron Knadel, Shawn Reekie and Matthew Iverson), 6 great grandchildren, 2 sisters, Loretta and Agnes and 1 brother, Bernard. Predeceasing her were her parents, sister, Irene, and 4 brothers, Eddy, Johnnie, Jerome and LaVerne.