Myrtle Lavonne Pogeler Gerdes, age 97, of Manson, IA, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at Addington Place in Carroll with her loving daughter by her side.
Funeral services will be held at 1:00 P.M. on Sunday, April 21, 2024 at St. John Lutheran Church in Carroll with Rev. Cindy Johnson officiating. Music for the service will be by Jan Potthoff. A reception will follow in the church fellowship hall.
Visitation will be held at St. John Lutheran Church from 12 -12:45 P.M. on Sunday prior to the service.
A graveside service will be held at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Manson, IA at 4:00 P.M. on Sunday.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for the family www.dahnandwoodhouse.com
Myrtle was born on August 18, 1926 in Odin, MN, and she was the daughter of Oscar and Jane (Anderson) Baarson. The youngest of 10 children, she moved to Buffalo Center, IA, to live with her sister Hazel and work at her brother-in-law’s grocery store after her mother passed away. She met Kenneth Pogeler and they were married on March 21, 1948. Myrtle and Kenneth started their married lives living in a “bunk car” provided by the railroad that Kenneth was employed with and moved around the state of Iowa. Patricia and Timothy were born during this time, and when Patty started school, they purchased their first home in Manson, IA. Myrtle went back to work at Lee’s Grocery in Manson when Tim started school. A once a month venture of selling furniture out of her garage turned into a fulltime job and Myrt’s Furniture became a presence in Manson for 28 years. Kenneth passed away on April 26, 1990. A few years later, a gentleman came into Myrt’s Furniture to buy a sofa and Myrtle and Elmer Gerdes ended up getting married on March 6, 1998 and they had 21 years together until Elmer’s passing on January 11, 2019. Myrtle and Elmer moved to Carroll in 2018 to be closer to their family.
Myrtle is survived by her daughter Patricia Fricke (Paul) of Carroll; son Timothy Pogeler (Kathryn) of Lake City; five grandchildren: Amy Demonia, Matthew Harrison (Crystal), Laura Smith (David), Anthony Pogeler (Holli), and Alissa Sorensen (Dusty); fourteen great-grandchildren: Chloe, Daniel, Derek, Michael, Allison, Will, Katelynn, Regan, Max, Maci, Sidney, Gauge, Bella, and Sawyer, a great-great grandson Luka Paul Romeo who was born on April 12, 2024; and one sister-in-law Marie O’Brien of Webster City, IA, and several nieces and nephews.
Myrtle was preceded in death by her parents Oscar and Jane Baarson; her husbands Kenneth and Elmer; brothers: Albert, Carl, Melvin, and Olger; and sisters: Inga, Josie, Pearl, Hazel, and Doris.
Myrtle’s family would graciously like to thank Addington Place and Gentiva Hoapice for the excellent care she received.
