Donald Eugene Gerdes

Donald Eugene Gerdes, 89, was born January 24, 1931, in Falls City, NE, to Wallace and Vastana Bradbury Gerdes. He passed away on August 22, 2020. He grew up on a farm near Falls City, NE went to country schools and graduated from Verdon, NE high school in 1948.
On March 4, 1956, he married Carole Lee Sander at First Methodist Church in Falls City. They were blessed with two daughters, Lucinda and Kristin. Donald farmed and then in 1957 took employment with Safeway Stores in Falls City, transferring to Glenwood, IA in 1975, Red Oak, IA in 1981 and Wharton, TX in 1982. After retirement from Safeway, they moved back to Falls City and he worked for WASP and ASCS.
The couple traveled and were winter Texans for many years and, in 2008, moved to Harlingen, TX. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Harlingen.
He was an avid fisherman, square dancer, and volunteer at the church’s thrift shop. He was a caring Christian man who loved his family and his special grand-dog, Mitsi. He enjoyed playing cards with family and friends and was a longtime Nebraska Cornhusker football fan.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brother & sister-in-law Wallace Jr. and Elaine Gerdes and brother-in-laws Ronald Sander and Harold Roesch. Survived by wife, Carole Lee, daughters Lucinda Graves (Kim) and Kristin Hayes (Frank), Harlingen; grandchildren Andrew Mallonee (Amanda), Carissa Mallonee, Floyds Knobs, IN; Kurtis Hayes, Council Bluffs, IA and Kyle Hayes, Coppell, TX and four great-grandchildren: Drew, Haley, Aria and Haden Mallonee, Indiana; brother Ronald (Mildred) Gerdes, Harlingen; sister Mary Ellen Roesch, Hiawatha, KS and sister-in-law Patricia Sander, St. Joseph, MO; aunt and uncle Bertha and Leo Kruse, Sabetha, KS.
Graveside service will be in Falls City, NE, at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the First United Methodist Church, 321 E. Harrison Ave., Harlingen, Texas 78550.
You are invited to sign the online guestbook or leave a memory at www.buckashcraft.com.
Arrangements are with Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home.