Arthur Z. Gehrke

WAUNAKEE - Arthur “Zane” Gehrke was born on March 13, 1931, in Beaver Dam Hospital in Beaver Dam, Wis., to Richard and Cynthia (Roth) Gehrke. Sadly, he passed away on Friday, April 8, 2022, in the arms of his loving wife, Jeanette, and two daughters, Susan and Beth.

Zane graduated from Waterloo High School where he was an accomplished athlete. He was united in marriage to Jeanette Klecker in 1950. In 1952, Zane was drafted into the U.S. Marine Corps Platoon No. 449, where he was stationed overseas in Hawaii.

Zane worked as a printer at Art Craft Press in Waterloo for many years, before he made a career change into real estate, where he owned and operated Gehrke Reality. He was a long-standing member of the Optimist Club.

Zane had eyes bluer than the sky and the charisma of a movie star. Wearing a suit was an art for Zane, one that required attention to detail. When vacationing overseas people often asked him for his autograph, insisting he was Robert Redford.

Zane had the inner strength that reached beyond his 91 years of age. He had the courage to keep moving forward without fear of the future. He approached each and every day as a new opportunity to spend more time with his family, especially his high school sweetheart and wife of 71 years, Jeanette.  Zane’s willpower to live was remarkable. As the days became shorter, his family continued to shower him with affection, reminding him how much he was loved. Along with his family, Zane refused to accept his fate.

He will be dearly missed by his wife, Jeanette; children, Susan (Stephan) Hannigan, Bruce, Jonathan (Renee), Daniel, Thomas and Beth (Donne) Lalor; grandchildren, Joseph (Tabatha) Lalor, Justin (Kay) Lalor, Anne Lalor, Michael Hannigan, Kayleen Hannigan, Lydia Lalor (fiance' Matt Dutcher), Dustin Gehrke, Holly Gehrke and Carson Gehrke; and great-grandchildren, Aiyana, Micah, Jaiden, Maverick, Chenoa, Brody, Zane and Avid. He was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters; his twin sister, Jane Kayser; and grandson, Brandon Lalor.

A funeral service will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, at 1 p.m. on Thursday, April 21, 2022. Burial with military honors will follow at Roselawn Memorial Park. A visitation will be held at the funeral home from 10 a.m. until the time of the service on Thursday. Online condolences may be made to www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson East

Funeral & Cremation Care

5203 Monona Drive

(608) 221-5420