Harriet F. Gerdes

Harriet F. Gerdes, 93 ½ of Bettendorf, died Friday, April 18, 2008 at Trinity at Terrace Park in Bettendorf. A worship service to honor her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and to memorialize her passing is scheduled for 10:00 AM, Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008 at McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home, Bettendorf, Iowa. Visitation will be held from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM Monday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Rock Island National Cemetery, Rock Island, Illinois. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family to be forwarded to the Moody Bible Institute.
Harriet was born October 8, 1914 to Willis Grant Miller and Anna Lund Miller of Iron Mountain, Michigan. She graduated from Kingsford High School, Kingsford Michigan and was later employed by Marshall Field & Company, Chicago, Illinois, as secretary to the Vice President of Purchasing. She was married to Ralph G. Gerdes on April 6, 1940. She and Ralph recently celebrated 68 years of marriage together. Harriet and Ralph had one child; Ken (Judy) Gerdes of Clinton, Iowa; three grandchildren, Jennifer (David) Hinz of Green Lake, Wisconsin, Grant (Farah) Gerdes of La Honda, California and Joseph Gerdes of Bisbee Arizona; and three great-grandchildren; “Wee” Evan and “Little” Laird Gerdes and Nathaniel “Dewey” Hinz, all of whom still live with their parents. Harriet was preceded in death by her parents, two sisters and five brothers.
In life, Harriet was known for her kindness, she was devoted to the welfare of her family, and she always gave preeminence to Jesus Christ, The Word of God. She was an independent, but careful thinker whose wisdom was not always easy, but always instructive. Now, in death, those lessons are treasures; her unique and precious gift to anyone who cared to know her and her memorial for those who loved her.
Online condolences may be expressed to the family by visiting Harriet’s obituary at www.McGinnis-Chambers.com.