Aileen Gerdes

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Aileen Gerdes, 88, of Miller, passed away Thursday, June 27, 2013 at the Good Samaritan Society of Miller.

Funeral service was held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, July 1, 2013 at the First United Methodist Church, Miller with Pastor Mark Johnsen officiating. Burial followed at G.A.R. Cemetery, Miller.  Visitation was held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Sunday, June 30, 2013 with a 7:00 p.m. prayer service, all at Reck Funeral Home, Miller.

Aileen was born April 20, 1925 in Miller to Joe and Meryle (Biddle) Roalstad.  When she was four years old, her family moved to a farm 5 ½ miles west of Miller in Midland Township.  She went to grade school at Speirs School, which was ½ mile from their farm and she walked to school all eight years.  She graduated from Miller High School in 1943.  She then moved to DeSmet and worked in the Social Security office.  On January 7, 1944, she married James Gerdes.  They lived in Miller for two months and then moved 3 ½ miles south of Miller where they lived for fifty-four years before they moved into Miller.  They wintered in Brownsville, Texas for twenty years.  In 2008, she moved to the Prairie Good Samaritan Center. 

Aileen worked in the kitchen at the Prairie Center from 1976 to 1985.  She was a lifelong member of the Miller First United Methodist Church.  She also was involved in the Methodist Women’s Circle, Hand County Extension Club, Eastern Star, P.T.A. and Farmer’s Union. 

Aileen is survived by her four children: Roger (Marcia) Gerdes of Miller, Suzy (Larry) Blaseg of Miller, Sandra (Harvey) Ramirez of Sioux Falls, Sheryl Bedard of Sioux Falls; five grandchildren; and eight great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jim on June 23, 2003; her parents; one brother, Dale Roalstad and two sisters, Doris Macheel and Joyce Curren.

Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Aileen’s arrangements.