Gertrude Marie Jacobson age 88 of Redwood Falls passed away while surrounded by her family Friday, February 25, 2011 at Bethesda Heritage Center in Willmar.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday at St. Catherine’s Catholic Church in Redwood Falls with Fr. Michael M. Doyle as celebrant.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Tuesday with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m. at the Redwood Valley Funeral Home.  Visitation will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Wednesday.  Stephens Funeral Service – Redwood Valley Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Gertrude Marie Jacobson, the daughter of Dennis and Elizabeth (McCabe) Clouse was born Feb. 5, 1923, in Kingman Township, rural Olivia. She attended school district 82 north and after graduation from DeGuiles Academy in Minneapolis, she operated Gert’s Beauty Shop beginning in 1945 on Bridge St in Redwood Falls.  On October 2, 1946, Gert was united in marriage to John B. Jacobson at St. Catherine’s. She was a nurturing mother to seven children who will always remember her wonderful Sunday fried chicken dinners followed by rhubarb pie and family hikes in the nearby Minnesota River valley. She loved to spend summer mornings in her flower garden and on her patio listening to the birds sing at her beloved country home of 50 years.  After her children were all in school, Gert worked as a Home Health Aid and her nurturing continued at the Robert Milton Home and later at REM from which she retired at the age of 73. Through the years she enjoyed her membership in Extension, Mother of Twins Club, Legion Auxiliary, Wednesday morning coffee group & Friday evenings at the Valley but most of all, family gatherings surrounded by her children & grandchildren.  She lived at Southwaite Apartments for 10 years and reluctantly left ‘her Redwood’ in 2009 to move to Copperleaf in Willmar to be near three of her children. After a severe stroke affected her left side, she moved to Bethesda Heritage. Fortunately she suffered no speech or mental impairment and continued to courageously live her life of ‘blooming where she was planted’. Gert loved to travel and saw most of the U.S. including Hawaii. She also visited Ireland, Scandinavia, Russia, Morocco and many countries in Europe.

Gert is survived by her children: Julie (Patrick) Carroll of Willmar, John of Forest Grove, OR, James (Pamela) and David both of Blomkest, Teresa (Daniel) Walthers of Commerce, GA, Tamara (Steven) Reck and Sandra (David) Litman both of Burnsville. Also surviving are grandchildren: Nathan, Nicole, Justin, Katina, Jesse, Rebecca, Andrew, Katherine, Austin, Jacqueline, Logan, Christina and Matthew; great grandchildren: Tommy and a baby boy to be born in April; sisters: Kate Moldestad of Hutchinson, and Agnes McNamara of Palmdale, CA; and many nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by two infant children Stephen and Mary, her former husband, her parents, sisters Alice Middleton & Margaret Kuklok, brothers Raymond & Francis, and granddaughter Christina Marie Carroll.  Blessed be her memory.