Gertrude Lydia Balgeman, 88, of Austin, went to meet Jesus on Nov. 6, 2011.

She had been residing at Our House Assisted Living in Austin. Gertrude Kuecker was born Oct. 11, 1923, in Lotts Creek, Iowa, to Edward and Ida (Siems) Kuecker, who farmed near Lotts Creek. She attended elementary school at the Lutheran parochial school in Lotts Creek. On April 18, 1944, Gertrude married Harlan Balgeman at the Siems family farm just east of Whittemore, Iowa. After a brief wedding trip by train to Chicago, they returned to a farm they had leased north of Cylinder, Iowa. Shortly thereafter, they returned to Whittemore and leased the Siems place east of town. The couple had two sons, Lynn and Robert. Gertrude and Harlan were faithful members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Whittemore, and both boys attended St. Paul’s Lutheran school until 1959. In March of 1959, the family moved to Lyle, Minn., where she and Harlan bought a 260-acre farm. They milked cows and raised chickens and hogs. Gertrude was an ambitious, productive gardener. She raised corn, peas, potatoes, apples, beans, cabbage and carrots. She was a leader in the local 4-H Club and served in the women’s group at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lyle. She became an avid baseball and softball fan, as soon as her boys taught her the game. In 1987, Gertrude and Harlan moved to Lyle. They were married for 67 years. Harlan also passed away on Nov. 6, 2011, at Our House Assisted Living.

Survivors include two sons, Lynn (Bette) Balgeman of Manhattan, Mont., and Robert (Laurie) Balgeman of Lyle; three grandsons, Daniel (Dondi) Balgeman, Jon (Linda) Balgeman, Stephen (Bonnie) Balgeman; three granddaughters, Jane, Krista, and Alexis Balgeman; four great-granddaughters; one great-grandson; five brothers, Kenneth Kuecker of Torrance, Calif., Kermit Kuecker of Des Moines, Iowa, Gerald (Genelle) Kuecker of Cylinder, Iowa, Willis (Hope) Kuecker of Goldfield, Iowa, Richard (Beverly) Kuecker of Livermore, Iowa; two sisters, Lucille Farr of San Diego, Calif., and Jean (Don) Gerdis of Algona, Iowa.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Ida; a sister, Lois and a brother, Delbert.

Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, 2011, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lyle with Pastor Barbara Finley-Shea officiating. Visitation will be 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, at the Worlein Funeral Home in Austin, and one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday. Interment will be at Enterprise Cemetery. Memorials are preferred to donor’s choice. Worlein Funeral Home of Austin is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.worlein.com.