Vearl M. Gergen

Mrs. Vearl M. Gergen, age 90, Clark, died early Sunday morning, February 7, 2010 in the Prairie Lakes Hospital at Watertown. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 13, 2010 at 11AM in the St. Michaels Catholic Church at Clark. The Reverends Bill Hamak and Ken Bain and Msgr. Edward Burian will concelebrant the Mass. Burial will follow in the St. Boniface Cemetery at Clark. Honorary casketbearers will be Eileen Heilman, Mary Stahl, Q.C & Lila Miles, Norbert & Alyce Miles, Frances Becker, Marie Schneider, Leola Rahm, Mary Helms, H.T.Desnoyers, David Moritz, W. J. Gruenwald, Melvin Reinschmidt, Robert Schlueter, Jim Forest, Ken Fielder, Dennis Helms, Mark Gerhardt, Bruce Brekke and the Staff of the Golden Living Center at Clark. The active casketbearers will be Greg Rahm, Jim Becker, Steve Grandpre, Larry Sutton, Terry Helms, Terry Understock, Tim, Darwin and Trent DesLauriers. Music will be provided by Matthew Hinds of Groton. Visitation will be held on Friday from 5-7PM with a Scriptural Wake Service & Rosary beginning at 7PM all in the Furness Funeral Home Chapel at Clark. The casket will be open at the church prior to services on Saturday morning. Mrs. Gergen was born on January 14, 1920 near Turton, the daughter of Jule and Loretta (Fortin) DesLauriers. She grew to adulthood at Turton, attending the Little Flower Convent School until it burned and then the Turton Public Schools, graduating valedictorian of her class in 1938. She then attended Northern State Teachers College in Aberdeen for two years, receiving her teaching degree. She taught rural Spink County schools near Doland and Redfield for five years. She moved to the Clark Community in 1944. On May 20, 1944 she was united in marriage to Robert S. Gergen of Raymond, SD at Tracy, CA. To this union, one son, Robert, was born. They later divorced. Vearl was appointed the City Auditor of Clark, SD in 1946. She held this position until a fall forced her early retirement in 1978. While serving in that position, she also was the Clark correspondent to the Daily Plainsman in Huron and the Watertown Public Opinion for many years. Vearl was the first tenant to move into the City View Apartments in March of 1976. She made her home there until moving to the Golden Living Center at Clark on October 21, 2003. She was a member of St. Michaels Catholic Church at Clark, a member of and past officer of St. Michaels Altar Society and a member of the St. Theresas Group of the Altar Society. She has served on the Clark County March of Dimes Board for several years. She enjoyed playing cards, especially bridge, and was a member of a bridge club for many years. She enjoyed bingo, crocheting afghans, did a lot of hand embroidery work and crewel embroidery. She was particularly fond of the Christmas season, was a great cook and enjoyed her flowers. Among survivors who are grateful for having shared in her life are her son, Robert E. Gergen, a sister, Valois A. Danekas both of Clark, a sister-in-law, Darla Popkes of Rapid City, a special aunt, Lorene Fortin of Doland, a sister-in-law, Jeanne (Victor) DesLauriers of Doland, a brother-in-law, Jack (Nettie) Gergen of Sartell, MN, many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends. Preceding her in death were her parents, four sisters, Erlene in infancy, Teresa (Clark) Rusch, Phyllis (Floyd) Beauvais, Betty (LeRoy) Davis; two brothers, Kenneth & William Popkes, a brother-in-law, Walter R. Danekas and two sisters-in-law, Evelyn (Vincent) Hill and Bonnie Lou (Melvin) Dix. Funeral arrangements are with the Furness Funeral Home at Clark where there is an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com