Pauline Alberta (Howe) Gerst (1920 - 2010)

Born 25 Jul 1920 in Mediapolis, Des Moines, Iowa

Wife of George Julius Gerst Sr — married 1 Aug 1936 in Burlington, Des Moines, Iowa, USA

Died 19 Jan 2010 at age 89 in Winfield, Henry, Iowa, US

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Christopher McKee [send private message]

Biography

Obituary:

Pauline Alberta Gerst, age 89, of rural Columbus Junction, Iowa, died Tuesday morning, January 19, 2010, at her home. The daughter of Arthur and Ethel Brockway Howe, she was born on July 25, 1920, in rural Mediapolis. She married George Julius Gerst on August 1, 1936, in Burlington. He preceded her in death on October 11, 2006.

Pauline attended Huron School. She was primarily a farm wife, yet she worked as a nurse at Los Angeles General Hospital during WW II years while her husband welded in the shipyards. She also worked at Ceylon (later Thatcher Plastics) in Muscatine, Rath Packing Plant in Columbus Junction and in later years at Casey's in Wapello.

She had attended the Louisa Center Church and also the Apostolic Christian Church in Oakville. She was a lifetime member of the Moose Lodge in Burlington, a member of the Rebekah Lodge in Columbus Junction, Ducks Unlimited, TOPS, and the I-Club. She loved her children and their families and all the activities to attend, along with ceramics, cooking, and baking.

Pauline's family includes five children, Vonnie and Fred Carlson of Wapello, George Jr. "Bubby" and Fran Gerst of Eustis, Florida, Gary and Janet Gerst of Columbus Junction, Cathy Eaton of Winfield, and Beth and Mike Prior of Winfield; 29 grandchildren; 48 great-grandchildren; seven great-great-grandchildren; and two brothers, Marion Howe of Mediapolis and Thomas Howe of Texas. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, George; three daughters, Joanne Malone and infant twins Jacqueline and Joyce; a great-granddaughter, Denien; a brother, Harold Howe; and a sister, Betty Mae Ballard.

The funeral ceremony for Pauline Gerst will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 23, 2010, at the Dudgeon-McCulley Funeral Home in Wapello. Burial will follow at the Kossuth Cemetery in Mediapolis.

Friends may call after noon on Friday at the Dudgeon-McCulley Funeral Home where the family will meet friends from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.

A memorial fund has been established for the benefit of the Iowa Hospice and the U of I Pancreatic Cancer Research Center.

Sources