Funeral services for Geraldine “Jerrie” Faye Gunderson will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday at the Bonnerup Funeral Service chapel in Albert Lea. The Rev. Howie Krienke will officiate. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the chapel. Interment will be in Hillcrest Cemetery, Albert Lea.

Jerrie passed away peacefully Wednesday, May 15, 2019, at Trouvaille Memory Care in Excelsior. She was 88 years old.

Born Aug. 31, 1930, to Glenn and Lillian (Purdie) Cook, Jerrie was the oldest of two daughters. Jerrie graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1948 and was very active in the drama club and one of the founding members of the National Thespian Society Albert Lea chapter.

Jerrie married Ardell Gunderson in 1948 and together they raised three children, Adel, John and Charles, making their home on the Gunderson family farm near Albert Lea. Jerrie was Ardell’s devoted life partner, working with him as he farmed the land he loved so much. She also worked outside the home as a caregiver at Good Samaritan Society for several years, associate manager for J.C. Penney, sales person at Leuthold Clothiers and for 20 years was the church secretary at Zion Lutheran Church.

Jerrie was a 4-H leader (bread baking and sewing) and enjoyed the years when she and Ardell danced with the Grapevine Twist Square Dance group. Other interests included gardening and canning/freezing everything and anything, sewing, helping to organize the Zion Lutheran food stand at the Freeborn County Fair for many years and later working with former classmates on Albert Lea High School class reunions. With long hours tilling fields and milking cows, there was no time for family vacations away from the farm. Jerrie and Ardell made sure life was not all work and no play, however! They bought a Larsen pleasure boat and the family enjoyed water sports on Fountain Lake, where sister, Cooki, had a home. Jerrie also enjoyed snowmobiling with friends, and their timeshare cabin in Park Rapids.

Jerrie was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Ardell.

Jerrie is survived by her children Adel (Loren) Hoseck of Minnetonka, John (Nancy) Gunderson of Thornton, Colorado, and Charles (Cindy) Gunderson of Britt, Iowa;  and grandchildren Dan (Ivory) Hoseck, Amanda (Christopher) McAlpine and their children Brielle, Colin and Gavin, Megan (Juan) Paredes and their children Vianny, Lily and Emmy, Lindsey (Matt) Hahn and their son, Will, Gregory (Lisa) Gunderson and their children Evan and Noah, Mitchell (Josie) Gunderson and their children Kristian, Zoe and Jackson, David (Jamie) Gunderson and their children Dallas, Hunter and Nathan, and Derek (Kerry) Gunderson and their children Aveda and Mallory. Also surviving is one sister, Janice Westrum, of Farmington; and nieces and nephews.

The family is incredibly grateful to the staff of Trouvaille Memory Care, Brighton Hospice and the Rev. Krienke for their ministry and their tenderness and devotion caring for Jerrie, particularly in the last days of her life.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Trouvaille Memory Care Suites, 6330 Hazeltine Boulevard, Excelsior, MN 55331; or the Brighton Hospice Patient Care Fund in Jerrie’s name.