Sixth Generation

251. Heinrich "August" GERKE Jr was born on 22 August 1877 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.^{19,21,71,135,163,278} (He was listed as "Heinrich August" in his baptism record.) He was baptized on 21 October 1877 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.²¹ at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. He appeared in the census in 1880 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁹ He was listed as "August." August was confirmed on 10 April 1892 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁷⁸ at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. He appeared in the census in 1910 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.⁷⁰ He and his wife and family were living with his parents. He appeared in the census in 1920 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.⁷¹ August appeared in the census in 1930 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.¹²⁰ He died on 13 November 1958 at the age of 81 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^13,75,163 He was buried on 16 November 1958 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁶³ in the Oak Grove Cemetery.

Heinrich "August" GERKE Jr and Maria "Mary" PICHLER were married on 21 June 1903.^13,69,271 Maria "Mary" PICHLER was born on 22 October 1883 in Austria.^{13,69,70,71,148,150} (The 1910 Census lists her birth place as Germany.) She emigrated in 1897 from Austria.⁷⁰ She was confirmed on 20 October 1907 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁷⁹ at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. Maria appeared in the census in 1910 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.⁷⁰ She appeared in the census in 1920 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.⁷¹ She appeared in the census in 1930 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.¹²⁰ Maria died on 8 January 1973 at the age of 89 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^69,148 She was buried on 12 January 1973 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^13,148,150 in the Oak Grove Cemetery.

Heinrich "August" GERKE Jr and Maria "Mary" PICHLER had the following children:

+358	i.	Lillian Emelia "Lilly" GERKE.
+359	ii.	Alwin Herman "Alvin" GERKE.
+360	iii.	Therese Wilhelmine Maria GERKE.
+361	iv.	Esther Ione GERKE.
362	v.	Selma Sophia GERKE was born on 21 September 1913 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.^103,280 She was baptized on 12 October 1913 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁸⁰ at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. She died on 5 January 1914 at the age of 0.^75,103
363	vi.	Ewalt Heinrich "Ewold" GERKE was born on 19 May 1915 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.^{69,71,130,262} He was baptized on 23 May 1915.²⁶² He appeared in the census in 1920 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.⁷¹ Ewold appeared in the census in 1930 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.¹²⁰ He died on 25 September 1976 at the age of 61 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁶⁹ He was buried in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁵⁰ in the Oak Grove Cemetery.
+364	vii.	Elmer Carl GERKE.
365	viii.	Freida Elizabeth GERKE was born on 30 March 1920 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.^130,281 She was baptized on 18 April 1920 in Monroe County, WI.²⁸¹ She appeared in the census in 1930 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.¹²⁰ Freida graduated in 1938 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI. from Tomah High School. She died on 13 December 2011 at the age of 91 in Warrens, Lincoln Township, Monroe County, WI. Obituary Notes: "Frieda Elizabeth Gerke, 91, a lifetime resident of Monroe County, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2011, at Agape Acres, Warrens. Frieda was born March 30, 1920, as the youngest of seven children at the farm home of her parents, August and Mary (Pickler) Gerke, in the town of Ridgeville. She was preceded in death by her parents; three brothers, Elmer, Alvin and Ewaldt; three sisters, Lillian, Teresa and Ione; and her beloved nephew, LaMont Zellmer. She was a 1938 graduate of Tomah High School and still loved to sing the school song. She was a lifetime member of St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tomah, which was the heart of her adult life. She worked at VanPack for over 30 years, retiring in 1984. After retiring, she worked many hours as a volunteer at St. Paul Lutheran School, Tomah Memorial Hospital and at the Tomah Care Center. She cared for her younger invalid brother, Ewaldt, for many years and her oldest sister, Lillian Zellmer, during her last years until she passed away at age 95. Frieda then lived with her nephew, LaMont Zellmer, for eight years until he had open heart surgery in 2008. She then lived with her daughter and son-in-law, Serena and Glen Harris, in Beavercreek, Ohio, for over a year until she was able to join LaMont at Sunset Ridge Estates. After an illness this past spring, she spent her last six months at Agape Acres, where she could receive round- the-clock care. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Serena and Glen Harris of Beavercreek; granddaughter Christy Harris of Wooster, Ohio; grandson Nicholas Harris of Lakewood, Colo.; and many nieces and nephews in Wisconsin and Minnesota. A Funeral service will be held on Monday (today), Dec. 19, 2011, at 1 p.m. at St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, 525 Superior Ave. Pastor David Brandt will officiate. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery, Tomah. Relatives and friends are invited to call on Monday at the church from noon until the time of the service. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Paul Lutheran School. The family is very grateful for the care and kindness that she received both at Sunset Ridge and Agape Acres and the pallative/hospice care unit at Tomah Memorial Hospital. The family extends a special thanks to all those at Western Wisconsin Cares who managed her care this past year and to Gundersen Lutheran Tomah Clinic and Tomah Memorial Hospital for her medical care during the past several years. Sonnenburg Family Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements." .