Obituary of Geraldine apos;Gerry&apos Lackender

Geraldine S. “Gerry” Lackender, age 83 of 4661 Dane Road S.W., Iowa City died Friday, October 17, 2003 at Atrium Village in Hills from complications of ovarian cancer. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, October 22, 2003, at Zion Lutheran Church in Iowa City with the Reverend Tim Malek officiating. Burial will be at the Grout Cemetery, rural Johnson County. Visitation will be from 2 to 8pm Tuesday at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City. Memorial donations can be made in Gerry’s memory to Atrium Village of Hills, Zion Lutheran Church of Iowa City, Johnson County 4-H Fairgrounds, or the American Cancer Society. Geraldine S. Buser Lackender was born October 7, 1920 near Williamsburg, Iowa on the Buser family farm, the daughter of Julius and Anna (Wetjen) Buser. She graduated from Conroy High School. On February 11, 1942, she married Glenn Ray Lackender at the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Williamsburg. They had lived and farmed on the same farm all their married lives, south of Iowa City where they raised all of their family. Glenn died on October 26, 2000. Gerry believed in giving of herself unselfishly, not only to her family, who she dearly loved and cared for, but also to her church and community. She was so involved with so many people and organizations throughout her life; including a longtime and very active member of Zion Lutheran Church, passionate member of the Johnson County 4-H Fair, as a board member, she was involved in all aspects of the fairgrounds and the fair for many years. She was a member and active with Farm Bureau both on the county and state levels. She was the founder and president of Hills PTO, member of the 39er’s card club, member of the Porkettes and Cowbelles. Gerry was a member of the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, Goodwill Industries Board of Directors, Johnson County Senior Center Board, Visiting Nurses Association Board, University Women’s Club, and Women of the Moose. She received numerous honors and recognitions throughout her life, Master Farm Homemaker of Iowa, Johnson County Fair Outstanding Person for the year of 2001, 4-H Honorary Member Award, inducted into the Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame, Outstanding Citizen Hills Town and Country award, Chamber of Commerce Farm Family and several awards throughout the years at the Iowa State Fair. Those who knew Gerry and Glenn remember the many international students and families they hosted throughout the years, always welcoming visitors to their farm. She loved to cook for anyone and everyone, having been in catering for over thirty years, having two family cookbooks published, and for a number of years was in food service for Iowa City Community Schools at West High School. Gerry loved life, from her bowling to her strong support of the Democratic Party; she was always on the go! Her family includes six children; daughters and their husbands, Sherry and Robert Carpenter of Coralville, Penny and Phillip Wagner of Iowa City, Vicki and Ed Kasper of Oxford, Cathy and Ron Knebel of Hills, and Ronda and John Beasley of Iowa City; son and his wife, Randy and Nancy Lackender of Iowa City; fourteen grandchildren, Renee and her husband, Marty Beckler, Rochelle and her husband, David Sowers, Renda and her husband, Troy Greene, Ryan Carpenter, Nicole and her husband, Steve Paulsen, Jason Jenn, Kristina Jenn, Matthew Knebel, Todd Knebel, Sean Beasley, Kelsey Beasley, Anna Lackender and her fiancé Marty Lacina, Jessica Lackender, and Cassie Lackender; ten great-grandchildren, Dalton, Colton, and Payton Beckler, Alexa, and Aubrey Sowers, Conner and Colby Greene, and Shawn, Brent, and Kaylee Paulsen; Gerry’s sister, Betty Schindler of Williamsburg and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Glenn, and two brothers, John and Robert Buser. Her family wishes to thank all who have cared for Gerry in the past, especially all at Atrium Village in Hills. Our “Gerry” will be deeply missed, remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend, hard worker, volunteer to many, she found pleasure caring for the young and old and their many wants and needs. She lived life to the fullest.