Ellen S. Gerber

KENOSHA, Wis. - Ellen S. Gerber, 92, of Kenosha, passed away peacefully, surrounded by the love of her family, Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016, at Brookside Care Center after a brief illness.

She was born on June 21, 1923, to the late Sakris and Beda (Strom) Leskela in Bruce Crossing, Mich. She attended schools of Bruce Crossing and graduated from Ewen High School in 1941.

After graduation she worked at the Mass Co-op Store in Bruce Crossing. In 1946, she went to work at the Ontonagon Valley Cooperative Creamery as a bookkeeper until the Creamery closed. She enjoyed working and had various jobs; taking census, delivering mail, and retired from Nordine's Foodland in 1985.

On June 1, 1946, she married John (Jack) Gerber. They lived in Bruce Crossing until moving to Kenosha in 1986. She and her husband enjoyed entertaining family and friends. She and her husband also enjoyed golf, bowling and playing cards. They were members of Bethany Lutheran Church in Bruce Crossing and St. Mary's Lutheran Church in Kenosha. She is a member of St. Mary's Friendly Center.

She volunteered at Kenosha Hospital and at the soup kitchen.

Ellen is survived by her daughters, Carol (Arlin) Anderson and Elizabeth (Jeff) Christensen, both of Kenosha; her brother, Elroy (Edna) Leskela of Bruce Crossing; a granddaughter, Melissa Christensen of Colorado; grandsons, Timothy Anderson, Dean (Valerie) Anderson and Matt Christensen, all of Kenosha; two stepgrandsons, Jesse (Coleen) and Jack Daly of Alaska; two great-grandsons, Tyler and Hunter Anderson of Kenosha; and many special nieces, nephews and friends. "In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love." - Mother Teresa.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Jack, in December of 1987; her four brothers, Ernest, Edwin, Emil, in infancy, and Elmer; his wife, Edith; and a stepdaughter, Joan Gerber.

A memorial service for Ellen will be held on Friday, Jan. 8, at 11 a.m. at St. Mary's Lutheran Church. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the time of service. Ellen will be buried next to her husband in spring at the Hillside Cemetery in Bruce Crossing.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice Alliance or St. Mary's Lutheran Church in Kenosha or to Bethany Lutheran Church in Bruce Crossing.

Visit Ellen's online memorial book at bruchfuneralhome.net.

The family would like to thank Angie, Charles and the caring staff at Brookside, the care of Stacy Green and the nursing staff at Aurora Hospital and Terry, the chaplains and caring staff of Hospice Alliance.