Bernadine Gaer
June 13, 1916 — March 15, 2016
Bernadine Gaer was born on June 13, 1916 to Clifton and Millie (Scott) Christensen in Polk Township, Iowa. She attended school in Harlan and graduated from Harlan High School with the Class of 1934. She received her teaching certificate and taught elementary school for one year.
On June 1, 1937, she was united in marriage to Lester Dale Gaer at her parent’s home in Corley, Iowa. They became parents to four children: Roger, Arden, Janice, and Galen. After farming for twenty-seven years, they retired to an acreage north of Harlan in 1965. She then worked at Coast to Coast in Harlan for ten years, leaving to join Lester who worked on the road for Western Engineering.
She was a member of First Baptist Church in Harlan. She enjoyed going to bible studies and teaching Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. Her love of traveling continued after Lester’s retirement from Western and they would go to South Dakota to see Roger. She liked to be in her garden and enjoyed sewing, baking, and cooking for her family, as well as crocheting and quilting.
She was an independent woman with a strong faith and plenty of time to listen to her children; not giving unwanted advice, but was always there for them. She also loved to spend time with her grandchildren.
Bernadine died on Tuesday, March 15, 2016 at Elm Crest Retirement Home at the age of ninety-nine years, nine months, and three days. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Lester, son Roger, grandson Greg Chapin, great-granddaughter Carissa Madsen, son-in-law Art Chapin, sister-in-law Jeanie Christensen and brother-in-law Wilbert Hemminger.
She is survived by her children: Arden Chapin of Brownville, Nebraska, Janice and her husband Leo Madsen of Audubon, Iowa, and Galen Gaer of Corley, Iowa; daughter-in-law Carole Gaer of Fort Pierre, South Dakota; sixteen grandchildren; thirty-eight great-grandchildren; thirteen great-great-grandchildren; sister Jean Hemminger of Harlan; brother Donald Christensen of Harlan; other family members and friends.
On June 1, 1937, she was united in marriage to Lester Dale Gaer at her parent’s home in Corley, Iowa. They became parents to four children: Roger, Arden, Janice, and Galen. After farming for twenty-seven years, they retired to an acreage north of Harlan in 1965. She then worked at Coast to Coast in Harlan for ten years, leaving to join Lester who worked on the road for Western Engineering.
She was a member of First Baptist Church in Harlan. She enjoyed going to bible studies and teaching Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. Her love of traveling continued after Lester’s retirement from Western and they would go to South Dakota to see Roger. She liked to be in her garden and enjoyed sewing, baking, and cooking for her family, as well as crocheting and quilting.
She was an independent woman with a strong faith and plenty of time to listen to her children; not giving unwanted advice, but was always there for them. She also loved to spend time with her grandchildren.
Bernadine died on Tuesday, March 15, 2016 at Elm Crest Retirement Home at the age of ninety-nine years, nine months, and three days. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Lester, son Roger, grandson Greg Chapin, great-granddaughter Carissa Madsen, son-in-law Art Chapin, sister-in-law Jeanie Christensen and brother-in-law Wilbert Hemminger.
She is survived by her children: Arden Chapin of Brownville, Nebraska, Janice and her husband Leo Madsen of Audubon, Iowa, and Galen Gaer of Corley, Iowa; daughter-in-law Carole Gaer of Fort Pierre, South Dakota; sixteen grandchildren; thirty-eight great-grandchildren; thirteen great-great-grandchildren; sister Jean Hemminger of Harlan; brother Donald Christensen of Harlan; other family members and friends.
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