Gertrude Wedel

Gertrude VanWilgen Wedel was born May 12, 1919 on a farm in Rock Valley, Iowa. She was the daughter of Teunis VanWilgen and Hendrika Sloppendal. The family moved to Hollandale in 1922 when Hollandale was recruiting farmers to move to the area. They first lived near Geneva and then moved to a farm east of Hollandale. She grew up attending a one-room schoolhouse and working on the farm weeding onions, celery and other produce raised by her father and other area farmers. Gertrude also clerked at Bill Bradley's general store in Maple Island. In August of 1943 she joined the Women's Army Corp WACS along with her sister Sharon and was stationed in Fort Riley, Kansas after basic training in DesMoines, IA. She achieved the grade of Tec 5 serving in the motor pool until her discharge in November of 1945. On October 13, 1945 she married Arthur John Wedel at Abilene, Kansas, and moved to rural Hollandale where she lived for 58 years. Art was employed by the US Postal Service, as the rural mail carrier in the Hollandale area for over 30 years. He died December 24, 2003. Gertrude was a baptized member of the original congregation of the Hollandale Reformed Church founded in 1922. She continued to be active in the church, sang in the choir, belonged to the Grace Circle and taught both Sunday School and Bible School. Gertrude was also active in the Hollandale Museum Association. She was a homemaker and also worked seasonally at Johnson's Greenhouse in the spring and Hollandale Marketing Association during the fall harvest. She enjoyed gardening and flowers and loved her family and grandchildren very much. Survivors include her children, Mary Jane Boettcher Vernon of Stewartville, MN, John Arthur Wedel Bonnie of Stillwater, MN, Peggy Ann Lingen of Portland, OR, and Daniel Lee Wedel Barbara of Brea, CA. and Hollandale, MN; grandchildren, Janna Wedel, Brian Wedel, Rhonda Lingen, Katherine Lingen, Lisa Wedel and Michael Wedel; sister-in-law, Hermina VanWilgen; brother-in-law, Evert Smith; and many nieces and nephews. Gertrude was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Arthur; sisters, Marie Loverink, Lydia Waalkens, Sharon Lutes and Henrietta Smith; and brothers, John and Tennis VanWilgen.