Gertrude Josephine Roers

Gertrude Josephine (Dorn) Roers was born at home in Leaf Mountain Township, Minnesota on January 16, 1941, to Victoria (Klimek) and Arthur Dorn, Sr.  The eldest of four children, Gertrude was raised on the family farm and attended Parkers Prairie High School, graduating with honors.  In 1963, she earned a bachelor's degree in Library Science from the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul.  Before starting a family, she worked as a librarian in Montevideo, where she managed the bookmobile, and then for the Anoka County Library System.

Gertrude began dating Matthias Roers while in college, and the two were united in Holy Matrimony on May 29, 1965.  They began their family in Fridley and lived there for six years before moving to Brooklyn Park, where Gertrude lived until her death.  Along with her church and community activities, Gertrude worked for 15 years at Fiserv until she retired.

Gertrude was deeply devoted to her Catholic faith and lived a life of service and charity.  She was a member of St. Alphonsus Church for 51 years and active in many church groups, including the Mother Cabrini Guild, Eucharistic Ministry team, Council of Catholic Women (CCW), the Funeral Luncheon Team/Hospitality Committee, and the Knights of Columbus Ladies’ Auxiliary, for which she served in various leadership roles.  Beyond these parish activities, Gertrude was an active supporter of numerous Catholic organizations, particularly the Maryknoll Missionary Society. She volunteered for many years in the parish’s school library, and in 2014 was recognized by the St. Alphonsus Church CCW with the Volunteer of the Year Award. Gertrude also volunteered with dozens of community-based charities throughout her life, often related to food and clothing distribution or religious causes, as well as served as a poll worker at her local voting precinct.

Family was extremely important to Gertrude, especially her children and grandchildren.  They have fond memories of her baked goods and home-cooked meals, often sourced from items grown in her/family gardens.  Gertrude enjoyed traveling across the country and around the world to visit family, including numerous trips to New Jersey and New Zealand.  She also enjoyed dancing, visiting religious shrines, and attending plays, musicals, and concerts, especially orchestra and classical music. She loved going to school reunions, card parties and rummage sales.  She valued and received great joy from attending family celebrations and ­­­never missed sending cards to countless friends and family members for birthdays, anniversaries or Christmas.  She will be greatly missed for these consistent gestures of thoughtfulness and connection.

Gertrude passed away peacefully at her Brooklyn Park home on September 20, 2022.  Having “her father’s heart”, she passed away at the age of 81, similarly of a heart condition.  She is preceded in death by her parents, Arthur & Victoria, her husband, Matthias, as well as in-laws Regina (Norbert) Klimek, Dorothy (Henry) Cihlar, Leonard Roers, Harold Roers, Loretta (Urban) Klimek, Conrad Roers, Margaret Roers and Diane Roers.  She is survived by her children:  Maureen (Mark) Frank; Monica Roers, Merlin Roers, Marty Roers, Michelle Roers (Matt Kelly) and Maurice (Sarah) Roers; grandchildren:  Matthew, Marshall, Morgan & Mason Frank; Lilyanna Kelly; and August & Arcadia Roers; and her siblings Frances (Wilbert) Suchy, Patricia (Kenneth) Bushman and Arthur (Donna) Dorn, Jr.; in-laws: ViAnn Roers, Elreen Roers, Adeline (Ronald) Gust and Rolland (Jennifer) Roers; numerous nieces and nephews, extended family members and many very dear friends.

A wake will be held Wednesday, September 28 from 4-8 pm at Gearty-Delmore Funeral Home, 15800 37th Ave. N., Plymouth, MN with a prayer service and rosary at 6:30pm.  Visitation will continue on Thursday, September 29 at 9:30am at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, 7025 Halifax Ave N, Brooklyn Center prior to a funeral mass at 11:00 am. The funeral mass will be available virtually at https://m.facebook.com/St.AlphonsusMN/?ref=page_internal&mt_nav=0 . Private burial will be at Sacred Heart Church’s Cemetery in Urbank, MN.

In lieu of flowers, Gertrude requested donations to support international humanitarian aid and Catholic mission work in East Africa. Please make checks payable to:  Maureen Frank and indicated in the memo section Gertrude Roers Memorial Donation.