Gertrude Mildred Ahlers was born near Bonesteel, South Dakota on May 5, 1921.  She was the third child of eleven born to Herman and Lucy (Brunmeir) Fuhrer.  She died December 16, 2018 at Pleasant Acres Care Center in Hull, Iowa at the age of 97 years.

Gertrude attended the Naper, Nebraska school into the 9th grade, when she started working for families with children.  At 19 she married George Ahlers in Naper in December of 1940.  The couple carved out a farm from the South Dakota prairie just north of Naper where she lived until November of 2013, when she fell and injured her hip.  She then moved into the nursing home.

Gertrude did embroidering and fancy work, she liked to refinish furniture, but mostly enjoyed gardening and outdoor chores.  She always enjoyed traveling, collecting antiques, visiting with people and helping with people in need.  They were life long members of the St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Naper.

Gertrude and George had three children: Stanley Dean died as a premature newborn in 1941; Donna was born in 1943 and Clarice in 1947.  She enjoyed her family: Donna and Bob Wittmeier and their sons Cory and Becky )great-grandsons Caden and Drake), Chad and Lori (great-granddaughters Victoria, Abbi and Cassi and great-great-granddaughters Averie and Ashlynne, daughters of Victoria and Joey Englebrecht) and Clarice and Dwayne Alons and their four children: Kevin and Ngu (great-grandchildren Ashley, Andrew, and Anna), Kyle and Kristie ( great-grandchildren Kylee, McKenzie, Caleb, Josiah and Grace), Kristin and Craig Hoftyzer (great-grandchildren Isaac, Jacob and Chloe) and Karena Alons (great-grandchildren Genevie, Annalise and Josephine).

She is survived by her brothers, Lyle and Frank.  She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Ben, Harry, Bob, Ray, Allen and sister Lila, two infant sisters and an infant son, Stanley and her husband George.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, December 20, 2018 at 10:30 AM at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Naper, Nebraska.  Burial will be in the St. Paul's Cemetery, Naper.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.