Gertrude W. Arends

She was born September 14, 1919, in Blue Earth, the daughter of Gustave and Mary (Schneider) Keller.Gertrude was raised and educated in Blue Earth where she was baptized at St. Paul Lutheran Church on October 5, 1919 and was confirmed there on June 4, 1933. She graduated from Blue Earth High School and took normal training to teach in rural country schools for a time. She was married to Floyd F. Arends on November 26, 1950 at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Blue Earth. Gertrude was a lifetime member of her church and was active in church circle. She was a longtime secretary in the school superintendents office, working for Lee Pemberton and Ken Queensland. Although she worked as a secretary in the Forestry Office in Hibbing, MN for a few years, she was a fixture in the Blue Earth school system, selling tickets in the school cafeteria and at countless athletic events. She retired May 30, 1986. Gertrude was also a volunteer with the Hospital Auxiliary and at St. Luke''s Lutheran Care Center. She is survived by her brother-in-law, Eugene Uppena of Blue Earth, her sister-in-law, Irene Keller of Coral Springs, Florida, her niece, Mary Uppena of Rochester, her nephew, Thomas Keller of Coral Springs, Florida, her nephew, Jonathan Keller of Atlanta, Georgia, and her niece, Mary Elizabeth Keller of Tampa, FloridaGertrude was preceded in death by her parents, husband-Floyd in 1970, two brothers, Carl and Gerhardt Keller and a sister, Juliet Uppena in 2008.