Richmond
April 27, 1921 – January 31, 2009
Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, February 4, 2009 at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Richmond, MN for Clarence H. “Tiny” Gertken, age 87, who died Saturday at the St. Cloud Hospital. Burial will be in the Calvary Cemetery, St. Cloud.
Relatives and friends may call after 4:00 p.m. Tuesday and from 9:00 – 10:30 a.m. Wednesday morning at the Wenner Funeral Home in Richmond. Parish Prayers will be at 4:00 p.m. Richmond American Legion Post #292 will pray at 7:30 p.m. followed by a rosary with the Knights of Columbus Tuesday evening at the Wenner Funeral Home.
Clarence was born in St. Cloud, MN to Tobias and Frances (Storkamp) Gertken. Tiny loved music and played in the St. Cloud Municipal Band. He married Hanna O’Keefe on June 8, 1944 in Louisville, KY. Clarence served in the United States Army during World War II in the European Theater. Prior to being shipped over seas he taught in the Tracked Vehicle School at Fort Knox, KY. He worked at International Harvester in St. Cloud for over 20 years as a mechanic. He later worked at St. Cloud State University from 1970 – 1983 where he was in charge of the motorized equipment. He also enjoyed mowing grass, building things, gardening and snowmobiling. He was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Parish, Richmond American Legion and the Knights of Columbus.
Survivors include his children, Ed (Marlys) of Sauk Rapids, Carol F. Thompson of Lake Elmo, MaryAnn (Gregory) Johnson of Richmond and John S. (Joyce) of Eden Valley; 8 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Hanna (2007) and his parents.
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