Gerald &uot;Gary&uot; Erdner, age 68, of Wells, died Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2003, at St. John’s Lutheran Home in Albert Lea from complications of a stroke.

Funeral services will be on Saturday, Feb. 22, at 10 a.m. at St. Casimir Catholic Church in Wells. The Rev. Eugene Stenzel will officiate. Visitation will be at the Bruss-Heitner Funeral Home in Wells on Friday, Feb. 21, from 4-8 p.m., with a prayer service at 7 p.m., and visitation will continue one hour prior to services at the church. Interment will be in St. Casimir Catholic Cemetery in Wells.

He was born Jan. 8, 1935, in Wells, the son of Edward and Viola (Wilder) Erdner. He married Catherine &uot;Katy&uot; Stenzel on Feb. 25, 1954, in Minnesota Lake.

Gary was a lifelong resident of Wells, graduating from Wells High School in 1953. He was employed at Queen Products in Albert Lea for 30 years. He was a member of St. Casimir Catholic Church and enjoyed fishing, hunting, and playing cards.

He is survived by his wife, Katy of Wells; eight daughters: Barb Christenson of Mankato, Jackie (husband Don) Leesch of Wells, Sandy (husband Ron) Leesch of Wells, Pat (husband Terry) Herbers of Eyota, Minn., Mary (husband Randy) Jacobsen of Loganville, Ga., Connie Erdner of Wells, Teri (husband Lanny) Johnson of Easton, and Jeri (husband Rick.) Farley of Wells; one son, Dan &uot;Bud&uot; Erdner (special friend Lorianne Marquardt) of Wells; 24 grandchildren; one great-grandson; three sisters: Ardella Quade of Wabasha, Lorraine Darnell of Wabasha, and Marjorie (husband Ron) Leak of Ellendale; two brothers: Raymond (wife Helen) Erdner of Wells, and David (wife Dawn) Erdner of Wells; one brother-in-law, John Lorenz of Perham, Minn.; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Dennis &uot;Fritz,&uot; in 1987; one grandson, Jeremy Leesch, In 2002; and one sister, Alice Lorenz.