OREGON - Doris Elaine (Heckman) Gerry passed peacefully with her daughters by her side on Monday, Jan. 22, 2024. At 99 years of age, she had lived a full life, filled with many dear friends and family.

Born Dec. 4, 1924, to Bill and Margaret Heckman in Anita, Iowa, Doris graduated from Lytton High School in 1943. She attended two years of college at Buena Vista to acquire her teaching certificate. After graduating she taught country school for three years, and then taught kindergarten and first grade for one year in Alta, Iowa.

Doris met her future husband, Keith Gerry, while working at a creamery as a secretary in Sac City, Iowa where he was beginning his dairy career. They married on June 29, 1952, after he returned from World War II.

Keith’s climb up the dairy profession took them first to Cedar Rapids, Anamosa, and then Alta, Iowa. In the meantime, three children - Brent, Nalene and Leanne joined to complete the family. Doris reluctantly moved away from Iowa and her dear relatives, to Keith’s AMPI dairy business in Antigo then to the last stop in Oregon, Wis., for their remaining years together.

During their time in Oregon, Doris was very active in the Presbyterian Church as Guild chairman, Sunday school teacher, elder, evangelism chairman, and Bible study leader. At 98 years of age, she gave up her post as deacon. She worked at Park Bank in Madison after her children were older. After retirement Doris and Keith enjoyed traveling until Keith’s Alzheimer’s disease kept them at home. Doris cared for Keith herself until his death in 2008. Keith and Doris spent a happy 58 years of marriage together. Later she enjoyed bus trips with friends, and traveling to Iowa for the winters to be with her dear sister, Ruth. They also enjoyed a cruise together.

Doris was very social and kept in contact with EVERYONE she knew and met over the years. She loved to read and sew. She and Keith had enjoyed square dancing in their former years, she had even hand sewn their dancing outfits. At age 95, during COVID, she joined the face mask making group at St. John’s. Along with masks for the community she made quilts and pillowcases for the Salvation Army. In 2018 Doris received a Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSUP) Presidents Achievement Award for over 4,000 hours of sewing service.

Board games were an important part of her life, particularly “Scrabble” which was a longtime favorite game between herself and her two dearly loved sisters, Lucille, and Ruth. Those games were always fueled by pie, dessert and much laughter!

Doris will be greatly missed by her family and many friends. She lived her life with deep faith.

Doris was preceded in death by her parents, Bill and Margaret Heckman; husband, Keith Gerry; son, Brent Gerry; sister, Lucille Block; brothers-in-law, Maurice Miller and Vernol Block; and niece, Juli Saak.

Doris is survived by her younger sister, Ruth; oldest daughter, Nalene (Danny) Langford; her youngest daughter, Leanne Gerry; grandchildren, Derek, Belinda, Bethany, Jordan and Sydney; great-grandchildren, Jaden, Ayden, Bella, Jordan, Niketo, Nia and Mariah; and great-great-grandson, Tatum; and other family members.

A funeral service will be held at FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 408 N. Bergamont Ave., Oregon, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, with Pastor Jo Wiersema presiding. Burial will follow at Prairie Mounds Cemetery in Oregon. Visitation will be held at the church from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service on Saturday.

Doris’s family would like to extend a special thank you to Agrace HospiceCare and her close neighbors for all the wonderful care she received.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the UW Carbone Cancer Center.

“When I come to the end of the day

And the sun has set for me

I want no rites in a gloom-filled room.

Why cry for a soul set free?

Miss me a little, but not too long

And not with your head bowed low

Remember the love we once shared-

Miss me, but let me go.

For this is a journey we all must take

And each must go alone.

It’s all apart of the Makers plan,

A step on the road to home.

When you are lonely and sick at heart

Go to the friends we know

And bury your sorrows

In doing good deeds-

Miss me, but let me go”

-An excerpt from a Christina Georgina Rossetti Poem

Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson Oregon

Funeral & Cremation Care

1150 Park St.

(608) 835-3515

Doris Gerry

December 04, 1924 - January 22, 2024

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