Dolores H. Gertsen
February 09, 2011
Dolores Gertsen, 80, of Des Moines, Iowa, died February 9, 2011. She was born to Gail and Anah Welch in Melcher, Iowa. Dolores moved to Des Moines in 1946, where she graduated from North High School. She retired from Fawn Engineering in 1989.
Dolores was preceded in death by her husband Carl, her son Eric, and her brother Gail Welch, Jr. She is survived by her daughter Victoria Gray, her sons Lance (Debbie) and Hank (Sharon) Gertsen; her grandchildren Scott Mitchell, Lana Gertsen, Diana Gertsen, Henry (Jaime) Gertsen III, Andrew Gertsen, Regina (Brian) Kindig. April Shindelar and Corey Henderson; her great-grandchildren Tyler Lipovac, Mia Kindig, Dominic Kindig, Nathan Soumas, and Noelle Gertsen; her step-mother, Alberta Welch; her two nieces, Brenda Parillo and Tracy Welch; and nephew, Kirk Welch.
Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m., Sunday, February 13, 2011, at Hamilton’s Southtown Funeral Home, 5400 SW 9th Street, Des Moines. The funeral will be 2 p.m., Monday, February 14th at the funeral home, with burial at Pine Hill Cemetery following the service.
Memorial contribution may be made to Force One.
www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com
Madonna Durham
02/11/2011
Dear Family of Dolores,
I am so sorry to lose a cousin of 80 years. Oh the great memories we shared all those years ago. I remember you and Donna May always had long dark braids & I had long blond curls. Junior,you,Philip & I always played house. Philip would always be your husband & Junior would be mine. But we always had to let you be the boss & we had to follow your orders. You always loved to come to our house in the country where we had homemade bread & butter & we loved coming to house as you had boughted bread & butter. Silly things but we had fun.
Your family should realize how much you loved them and you always told me all the things they were doing and how proud she was of all of you. Love each other as life is so short. Share your memories with each other. Remember to Love the Lord as he loves each of you and will see you thru your grief. I would love to hear from you.
Cousin, Madonna (Donna)