Obituary of Gertrude Whittlef Wood

Gertrude was born to John and Alma (Dalluge) Hass on August 21, 1922. She was the middle child of five siblings. She was born and raised on the farm across the street from Zion Lutheran church. Her mother passed away when she was 10 and so she and her sister Irene managed the household and cooking duties for the family. She attended Zion Lutheran School and St. Francis High School. She took night courses to further her education and accommodate her interest in the German language. Her confirmation catechism and her hymnal were written in German. She was baptized at Zion Lutheran Church of Crown and confirmed her faith in God on April 6, 1936. On August 8, 1942, she married Wallace Whittlef as he was being called to service in the Army. She followed him to California where daughter Gerri was born on February 3, 1944. She returned to Crown with Gerri when Wally was called to serve on the Pacific Front during World War II. Upon Wally's return home from the Army in 1946, the newly reunited couple were faced with an oversupply of labor and an undersupply of housing. After sharing apartments with other discharged veterans, Gert and Wally rented a place in Osseo; while living there, Douglas was born on March 9, 1948. Allen was born on October 28, 1949, while they lived on Tatum Avenue in Falcon Heights. In the fall of 1950, Wally and Gert moved to a farm in Crown, just a mile east of Zion Lutheran Church. It was on this farm that they raised their three children. While helping with the farm work, Gert also worked outside of the home. She was employed at Federal Cartridge Corporation, Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant, and Midland Cooperative. In 1968, Gert and Wally sold the farm and moved to a home on Long Lake in New Brighton. After retiring, they built a home in St. Francis in order to be closer to their family and the church they loved. In 2001, they moved in to The Farmstead in Andover, where Gert spent the rest of her life. Gert enjoyed playing cards with friends and family, gardening, fishing with Wally and spending time with her family. Wally passed away on July 18, 2004 after 62 years of marriage. In 2008, God brought Bob Wood into her life. They were married on October 25, 2008 and have been a picture of love and caring for each other. Bob was holding Gert's hand when she went to be with Jesus. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Wallace Whittlef, sister Irene Stoeckel, brothers Edwin and Willard Hass, great-grand daughter Madalyn, and son-in-law Duane Gaslin. Survived by husband Robert (Bob) Wood, children Gerri (Dennis) Hilgers, Douglas (Sharon) Whittlef, Allen (Trudy) Whittlef, step daughter Cathy (Steve) Thompson, five grandchildren (DeAnne, Kathi, Chad, Rhea and Cade), two step-grandchildren (Jason and Jessica), great-grandchildren, and wonderful friend Annette Haugen. She is also survived by brother, Gordon Hass, and many relatives and friends.