Wanda Margaret (Widiger) Gercken

April 8, 1901 – August 21, 1971

Mrs. Wanda M. Gercken, 70, 207 E. Kansas, Garden City, Kansas, well-known community worker and businesswoman, died Saturday at St. Catherine Hospital following a long illness.

Born April 8, 1901, in Perry, Okla., she was the daughter of Gustav Adolph and Wilhelmina Minnie Koehle Widiger. After her graduation from Perry high in 1920, she taught school in Perry and worked for the telephone company in Raton, N.M. before moving to Garden City, KS, in 1928.

She married Clarence O. Gercken May 17, 1928, in Garden City.

Mrs. Gercken had been active in the Trinity Lutheran Church and was a life-long Lutheran. She taught Sunday School, helped to organize the choir and served as choir director, held several local and state offices in the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, served as local secretary of Aid Association for Lutherans, and was a member of Church Women United.

In community affairs, Mrs. Gercken was active in B.P.W. and past presidents of B.P.W., helped to organize the Belles of St. Catherine and served as its first president. She also served as first president of the Women’s Division of the Chamber of Commerce, Sweet Adeline Chapter, served as program chairman for the Senior Citizens, Democratic Women, and served on the Election Board.

Mrs. Gercken worked at Sweetbriar’s for a short time, and retired about 10 years ago. She also worked at Anthony’s.

Survivors include her widower, Clarence; one daughter, Mrs. Hal Hudson, Topeka; one brother, Samuel Widiger, Wichita; three sisters, Mrs. Fred Luedke, Wichita, Mrs. Herbert Curnutt, Scottsdale, Ariz., and Mrs. Chet Miller, Wichita; and three grandchildren.

Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Trinity Lutheran Church with the Rev. Walter G. Schmidt officiating. Burial will be in Valley View Cemetery. A memorial has been established in Mrs. Gercken’s name with the American Cancer Society or the Trinity Lutheran Church.