Gertrude “Gert” Irene Brude
age 97, died on December 2, 2013. Born on February 24, 1916 to Arthur and Anna Brude in Duluth, Minnesota, she graduated valedictorian of her class in Virginia, MN and shortly after that moved with her family to Minneapolis. She started her career as a bookkeeper and ended up in accounting, working for the Rilling Company, First Acceptance Corporation and finally the Talcott Finance Corporation. She was always busy with her family and involved at St. Lukes Lutheran Church, then on 38th Street. She is preceded in death by all of her siblings: Alice Staff (Clarence), Donald (Myrtle), Roger (Ina), Lloyd, Marvin (Harriet), Charlotte Valvik (Tom), Betty Gisselquist (Orloue) and Carol Ellies (Orel). She was a generous soul and adoptive-motherly sort of person, with a heart full of concern, love and good cheer. She was a good Scrabble player, fabulous knitter, mystery novel reader, well-traveled, and a collector of wind-up toys. She was instrumental in arranging annual family picnics at the Minnehaha pavilion. She will be missed by her many nieces, nephews and their families. She had a knack for gracefully accepting her loss of talents and abilities as she aged and her strong Christian faith helped her to bravely face her declining health. She moved to Augustana in 1997, inviting her niece, Barbara Johanneson to live with her for several years starting in 2005 to help with activities of daily living. She was later cared for and considered a favorite by the doting staff of the Augustana Nursing Home. For the staff and residents of Augustana, a memorial service will be held at 11:00 am, Friday, Dec. 6, 2013, with visitation one hour before at Augustana, HCC Chapel, 1007 E. 14th St., Mpls. Funeral Service, 2:00pm, Saturday, Dec. 7, with reviewal ? hour before at Lakewood Memorial Chapel, 3600 Hennepin Ave., Mpls. Gertrude will be laid to rest with her parents at Lakewood Cemetery, Mpls. Memorials may be made to the Augustana Health Care Facility of Minneapolis or the World Mission Prayer League.