MARIE L GEHRKE

Marie Gehrke passed away on Sunday morning, January 28, 2024, under hospice care in Elgin, IL. She was born on June 12, 1929, in Arlington Heights, IL, the daughter of Emil and Emilia (Karnatz)Winkelmann. She was baptized and confirmed at St. John Lutheran Church in Elk Grove, IL. After attending local schools, she continued to work for her parents and brother raising vegetables for the market and canning factory.

In August of 1954, she met Arnold Gehrke, whom she married June 9, 1956, at St. John Lutheran Church, the same church in which she was baptized. In April of 1957, they moved to Shadow Lawn Farm in Maple Park where they started farming and raising their two sons, Robert, and Gordon. Growing up on a vegetable farm, it didn’t take her long to adjust as a wife on a dairy farm, feeding calves, doing chores and other farm work. With the hoe in her hand, she tended her vegetable garden and flower beds. She canned the fruits of the garden for her family, gifts for friends and neighbors, and donations to the church’s fundraisers.

As a young family, she enjoyed the vacations Arnold would plan for the family, trips to the mountains out west, around the Great lakes, and to Gettysburg. In 1990 she was blessed with two grandchildren, Wayne and Carolyn. She enjoyed going to their Christmas Programs, children’s theater programs, 4-H exhibits, and driving around looking at Christmas lights with a stop at Colonial Ice Cream.

She is survived by one son, Robert (Beth) Gehrke; two grandchildren: Wayne (Katie Crawford) Gehrke and Carolyn (Scott) Brummel; one daughter-in-law, Sherry Gehrke; a sister-in-law, Mildred Winkelmann; three nieces: Karen (Phil) Stojan, Donna (John) Happersberger and Joyce (Hank) Schwebel.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Arnold in 2011, her brother Emil, a nephew, Glen Winkelmann and one son, Gordon in June of 2023.

Visitation will be from 9-11 a.m., Saturday, February 17, 2024, with a service to celebrate  her life at 11:00 at  St. Peters Evangelical Lutheran Church, 43W301 Plank Road Hampshire, IL 60140. Interment will later follow at Lily Lake Cemetery after a luncheon.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Peters Evangelical Lutheran Church, Hampshire, IL. Memories and tributes may be left on the Conley Funeral Home Facebook Page, or at www.conleycare.com.