Carol L. Gehrke

Carol Lila Gehrke was born December 16, 1930 at Glasco to Orville B. and Myrtle E. Studt Birch. She departed this life of 80 years and 15 days late Friday afternoon, December 31, 2010 at the Mitchell County Hospital Resident Care Center in Beloit, Kansas.
A lifetime resident of Glasco, Carol graduated from Glasco High School where she was drum majorette and a baton twirler.
On August 21, 1940, she married Duane LaVerne Gehrke at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Glasco. This union was blessed with three daughters Deborah, Darlene and Cyndia.
Carol and her family lived on a farm immediately south and west of Glasco and enjoyed living there until she began receiving care in 2009. While she enjoyed living on the farm, she deeply enjoyed owning and operating the First Glasco Insurance Agency in Glasco. Carol enjoyed the people she felt privileged to serve. Leisure moments were happiest spent playing cards in pitch and bridge clubs.
She was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church and the VFW Auxiliary both of Glasco.
Her husband Duane died in 2002. In addition, she was preceded in death by her parents and one brother Merville Birch.
Left to mourn her passing and celebrate her life are her children Deborah Fantacone and husband John of Springfield, VA, Darlene Betz of Mankato, KS, Cyndia Studt of Beloit, four grandchildren and one great grandchild.
Interment Services for the ashes will be held at 1:30 P.M. Tuesday in the Glasco Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Solomon Valley Hospice or the Mitchell County Hospital Resident Care Center. There will be no visitation as cremation was chosen.