15 Nov Gertrude Learn
Gertrude Violet Learn, 88, went to her heavenly home on November 13, 2023. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, November 18, 2023, at Bethel Lutheran Church, 615 E. Turnpike Avenue, Bismarck with the Reverend Jonathan Walla and Reverend Justin Woodside officiating. Cremation has taken place. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church.
Gertie was born April 25, 1935, at the home of her parents near Tappen, ND, the daughter of Fred and Rosina (Roesch) Lang. She was baptized at Glueckstal Lutheran Church which was named after the Russian village where her ancestors lived. She was from a family of eleven children. In 1953 she graduated from Napoleon High School. She attended Valley City State Teacher’s College and taught in rural schools for two years. She then moved to Bismarck and worked as a waitress at Finck’s Café where she met the love of her life, Bert Learn, and they were married on June 20, 1955, at First Lutheran Church in Bismarck. They were blessed with two sons and a daughter and in later years a daughter-in- law and two grandsons. She stayed at home with her children until they all were in school and then worked at Montgomery Ward for 28 years — 12 years in Catalog Sales and 16 years as a Business Office Clerk.
Bert and Gertie joined Bethel Lutheran Church in 1968. Gertie’s life revolved around her faith and her church. She was very active in LWML, attending seven National Conventions in many locations in the United States. She held the position of treasurer to Bethel’s LWML for twenty years. She was also active in Christian Women in the Bismarck- Mandan community.
Gertie loved her children and her two grandsons, Jeremy and Justin. She supported her children and grandsons by attending all their activities.
She also loved her extended family which included numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews and enjoyed attending their gatherings.
Gertie is survived by her three children, Mark, Bismarck; Cheryl, Bismarck; and Dean (Kris), Bismarck; two grandsons, Jeremy, West Fargo and Justin, Bismarck; sister-in-law Lotte Lang, Seguin, Texas, and sister-in-law Gloria Learn, Dickinson, as well as many special nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 58 years, Bert; by her parents, Fred and Rosina Lang; by her brothers, Theodore (Louise), Leo (Sally), Edwin, Reverend R. Clarence, Gilbert (Mildred); by her sisters, Ellena (August), Adella (Ted), Rose (Hans), Laura (Jay), and Mary Martha.
A special thank you to Reverand Jonathan Walla and Reverend Justin Woodside for their many visits, comforting words and for giving our mother communion for the three years and two months that mother was at St. Vincent’s Care Center. Also, a special thank you to Sean Johnson and the staff at St. Vincent’s Care Center for the excellent care that they provided to our mother.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Bethel LWML and/or the Bethel Lutheran Church Building Fund.
I worked with Gertie at Montgomery Wards. She was a wonderful, kind, funny lady. She was so proud of her family. She talked of you often. I’m so sorry for your loss.
Gerty was our neighbor when we lived on northridge. We always looked forward to talking with her about almost everything. She was a great person and she will be missed.
I’m sorry for your loss. I’ve known Gertie since about 1974. Esther Werre was my mother-in-law. They were good friends. Sorry I can’t make it Saturday (the one day this fall I’m going to help a farmer with his cattle.) Thanks for being a great friend of Esther Werre. God bless you
Mark, Cheryl and Dean:
I remember your mother as a very kind and caring person. She always had a smile on her face and remembered all of us that were members of Bethel that had graduated from high school and came back to visit in the following years during the holiday seasons! It’s always hard when you lose a parent. Please accept my condolences on the loss of your mother! May the lord bless you and your families as you work through your grief! Always, Nadine.
Have known Gertie for many years. She is a Lang cousin of our family. She was such a wonderful lady and such a joy to have conversations with. Alway so full of energy and fun enjoying each and every day. Met her at Gospel Concerts especially at Faith Lutheran Church on Sunday afternoons and always had refreshments after with Gertie. She was so interesting and always interested in our life as well. Every time we saw her, she would thank Milt for his service in Viet Nam and imaging how hard it must have been in the war. She was a very neat lady in so many ways. Always dressed so nicely and looking so young and full of life. She and Bert did their best to eat healthy and get their exercise always, so respected that. She was very proud of her children and grandchildren. Always a part of her conversation. Our deepest sympathies to Mark, Cheryl and Dean and the grandchildren at this difficult time. She always said that she has lived a full life and that is most certainly true. May God wrap you in his arms of love and comfort you. Milt and Shirley Wagner
Gerty was such a positive upbeat person. Sorry for your loss.
So sorry for your loss. Gertie new my parents who have since passed and that is how I got to know Gertie. My daughter worked at Montgomery Wards in high school and she became to know Gertie as well. I would see Gertie walking the Kirkwood mall and would stop to visit with every time I seen her in the mall. She was a wonderful person and I always remember that awesome smile of hers. I haven’t seen her in the mall for some time now and will forever miss seeing her.