The Life of GERTRUDE JEAN HARTZER
Gertrude Jean Hartzer, 84, went to be with the Lord on November 18, 2009, at the Fountain West Retirement Home.
She was born October 3, 1925, to Jessie and Bert Newton in Des Moines, Iowa. She graduated from Lincoln High School and Lutheran Nursing School. Gertrude worked for 25 years as a nurse at Lutheran hospital before retirement. She also worked for 15 years at the Jewish Life Center.
She was a member of the First Church of the Open Bible for more than 50 years; she had a strong passion for her church, family and helping others. Baking cookies and banana bread, and giving most of them away to her family and friends was one of her trademarks in life.
Gertrude is survived by her husband of 62 years, Charles Kenneth; children, Michael (Cheryl) Hartzer, Timothy Hartzer, Ronald (Cheryl) Hartzer and Linda (Rick) Mauk; sisters, Vivian Feilmann and Judy Rybiski; brother, John Newton; 10 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her sister, Joyce; brother, Ted and her parents.
A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, November 21, 2009, at the First Church of the Open Bible, 2200 Beaver Ave, Des Moines, burial will follow at Highland Memory Gardens Cemetery. A visitation will occur from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., Friday, November 20, 2009, at Hamilton''s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines. Memorial contributions may be directed toward First Church of the Open Bible, Missionary Group, in loving memory of Gertrude.
She was born October 3, 1925, to Jessie and Bert Newton in Des Moines, Iowa. She graduated from Lincoln High School and Lutheran Nursing School. Gertrude worked for 25 years as a nurse at Lutheran hospital before retirement. She also worked for 15 years at the Jewish Life Center.
She was a member of the First Church of the Open Bible for more than 50 years; she had a strong passion for her church, family and helping others. Baking cookies and banana bread, and giving most of them away to her family and friends was one of her trademarks in life.
Gertrude is survived by her husband of 62 years, Charles Kenneth; children, Michael (Cheryl) Hartzer, Timothy Hartzer, Ronald (Cheryl) Hartzer and Linda (Rick) Mauk; sisters, Vivian Feilmann and Judy Rybiski; brother, John Newton; 10 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her sister, Joyce; brother, Ted and her parents.
A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, November 21, 2009, at the First Church of the Open Bible, 2200 Beaver Ave, Des Moines, burial will follow at Highland Memory Gardens Cemetery. A visitation will occur from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., Friday, November 20, 2009, at Hamilton''s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines. Memorial contributions may be directed toward First Church of the Open Bible, Missionary Group, in loving memory of Gertrude.