Dorothy Gerads

Dorothy F. Gerads, age 87 of St. Francis, passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 10, 2022 at the Mother of Mercy Nursing Home in Albany, Minnesota.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10 a.m. Tuesday, September 13 at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in St. Francis, rural Freeport, with Rev. David Maciej officiating. Interment will be in the parish cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 8 to 9:45 a.m. Tuesday at the church.

Dorothy Florence Skudlarek was born June 22, 1935 in St. Stephen, Minnesota to Valentine and Christina (Lahr) Skudlarek. She attended public school District #86 in St. Stephen. In the early 1950’s she was employed by Lakeland Bakery in St. Cloud, Minnesota. On December 29, 1954 she was united in marriage to Bernard Gerads at St. Stephen’s Catholic Church in St. Stephen. The couple farmed in rural Freeport until their retirement in 1992.

Dorothy devoted herself to being a farm wife, homemaker, and mother to their children: John (Diane Bauer) Gerads of Grey Eagle, David (Darlene) Gerads of Freeport, Diane (Tom) Jesh of Freeport, Donna Gerads of St. Cloud, Judy (Jim) Melroy of Wichita, Kansas, and Peter (Jodi) Gerads of Freeport.

She was a member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in St. Francis and the Christian Mothers Society. Dorothy loved gardening, baking, and embroidering dish towels.

Survivors include her six children; 22 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild; and siblings, Donald (Jan) Skudlarek and Delphine Hoeschen.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband, Bernard Gerads on November 30, 1998; parents; brothers and in-laws, Ervin and Marion Skudlarek, Edward and Lucy Skudlarek, and Roger Hoeschen; and two grandkids.

Serving as casket bearers will be Charlie, Scott, Christopher, Adam, and Nick Gerads, and Steven Jesh. Cross bearer will be Dan Gerads and scripture bearer will be Rhonda Gerads.