Gayle Sternberg, 1955-2019

Published 1:00 am Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Funeral services for Gayle R. Sternberg of Albert Lea will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Zion Lutheran Church in Albert Lea. The Rev. Matthew Lehman will officiate. Visitation will be from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Bonnerup Funeral Service in Albert Lea and also one hour before services at the church. Interment will be at 3:30 p.m. Monday at St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery in South Branch.

Gayle Sternberg

Gayle died peacefully surrounded by her family at St. John’s Lutheran Community-The Woodlands on Monday, Nov. 25, 2019.

Gayleen R. Niemeier was born Aug. 30, 1955, in Trimont, the daughter of Clarence and RaMona (Siem) Niemeier. She was a graduate of St. James High School.

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On June 2, 1984, she married her soulmate, Randy Sternberg. Gayle and Randy made their home in Albert Lea and they were blessed with daughters Stephanie and Naomi. Gayle had worked as a dental assistant, legal secretary and for 26 years as a licensed home day care provider. Family was always Gayle’s first priority, and being a home day care provider gave her the opportunity to spend more time and be there for her daughters.

Strong in her faith, in addition to her daily devotions, Gayle was very active in Zion Lutheran Church.

She enjoyed being active in the altar and flower guilds, served as a Sunday school teacher, was on the contemporary worship team and was in Martha Circle. She also was a willing volunteer for any church activity — October rfest and the Freeborn County Fair booth were among her favorites.

Gayle loved to travel, and was adventuresome, competitive and passionate about holidays and family traditions. Gayle was a consummate caregiver to all; she always tried to make everyone’s day a little brighter.

Gayle is survived by her loving husband, Randy, of Albert Lea; daughters Stephanie (Ethan) Berg and their children Addison, Brynn and Cora of Hudson, Wisconsin, and Naomi (David) Schuster and daughter, Raelen, of Rochester; siblings Nona Niemeier of Eagle Lake, Kevin (Betsy) Niemeier of Minnetonka and Brad (Eileen) Niemeier of Benson; mother-in-law, Charlotte Sternberg, of St. James; brother-in-law, Jeff (Doris) Sternberg, of Lakeville; sister-in-law, Valerie Hanna, of Eden Prairie; many nieces and nephews; and aunts Sharon Malott, Hilma Johnson, Eldora Krenz and several cousins.

Gayle was preceded in death by her parents Clarence and RaMona Niemeier; grandparents Alfred and Emma Niemeier, Melvin Siem and Ethel Siem Hopman; step-grandfather, Walter Hopman; cousin, Barry Malott; and aunts and uncles Dale and Emma Siem, Eldon Malott, Don Johnson and Dwayne Krenz.