Funeral services for 73-year old Merna Ganshert of Gordon, NE, are Wed, Dec 15, 2021 at 10:00 AM at United Methodist Church in Gordon.
Burial at th Gordon City Cemetery
Visitation is Tues, Dec 14, from 5:00-7:00 PM at Chamberlain-Pier Funeral Home in Gordon.
A memorial has been established for the Gordon Volunteer Fire Department or the Gordon Volunteer Rescue Unit and donations may be sent in care of Chamberlain-Pier Funeral Home, PO Box 366, Gordon, NE 69343.
Online condolences may be left at www.chamberlainchapel.com
Merna Lee Ganshert was born August 15, 1948 at Gordon Memorial Hospital. She passed away on Dec 8, 2021 at Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff, NE, with her beloved husband Bernie and sister Glenda by her side.
Merna started life in a converted garage south of Rushville, NE, and then moved to Batesland, SD, where she attended school through the 8th grade.
While in Batesland, her family attended the Lutheran church and she was baptized at 9 years old. She took catechism and joined the church at the age of 13 in 8th grade. After moving to Gordon, she attended the Methodist church where she remained a member until her death.
Merna attended Gordon High School, where she took college prep courses and worked as a Nurse’s Aide at Gordon Memorial Hospital. Before graduatinging in 1966.
In 1967, she graduated from the Institute for Medical Technique in Minneapolis, MN, as a dental assistant and went to work for the Ray Dental Group in Rapid City, SD. Merna met her future husband Bernie when coworkers set them up by asking them to babysit on the same night.
Merna and Bernie were married in Gordon on July 15, 1967. For the next 16 years, Merna was an Air Force wife and mother. She was able to see a lot of the world including Biloxi, MS, Tampa, FL, and Burkburnett and Wichita Falls, TX.
The family – which now included sons Christopher, Scot, and Eric – then moved to Germany, where Merna visited many countries throughout Europe. While in Germany, she also worked with ceramics and decorated cakes for all occasions.
In 1982, they returned to the states and lived for a year in Shawnee, OK, where she completed a secretarial course at Gordon Cooper Vo-Tech. When Bernie retired from the Air Force in 1983, the family moved back to Gordon.
Merna sewed and hand-crafted her kids’ costumes every year, crocheted blankets, and painted on canvas. She first enjoyed crafts as a child with her grandmother, Ehrma Reeves, who taught her to embroider and paint fabrics.
While in Gordon, Merna worked as a Teacher’s Aide for Gordon Public Schools, a Teller/Bookkeeper for Abbott Bank, a switchboard operator and biller at Gordon Memorial Hospital, and a Secretary for Gordon Elementary.
In 2000, she continued her education at Northwest Nebraska Community College for a certificate in medical transcription and for the next 6 years worked as a Medical Transcriptionist for Gordon Memorial Hospital.
In 2006, Merna joined Bernie in retirement and they traveled and camped, visiting with family and friends across the country and seeing sites from Alaska to Florida to California and everywhere in between. They particularly enjoyed visiting Arizona where they spent many winter months with their son Eric and his family.
Merna also loved returning home to Gordon to spend time with family and friends in her home, filling it with laughter and love. She will be remembered for her love and dedication to her husband, children, family, and friends, and for her faith in God.
She was preceded in death by her father, Norman L. Davis, mother Norma L. Reeves Davis Child, mother-in-law and father-in-law Lawrence and Anna Ganshert, brother Gary M. Davis, brothers-in-law Joseph and Alan Ganshert, Uncle Kenny Allison, Uncle Melvin Davis, Aunt Lavonne “Dee Dee” Burrows, and Aunt Lois Sine.
Merna is survived by her husband, Bernard L. Ganshert, children Christopher and wife Dixie Ganshert of Lincoln, NE, Scot Ganshert of Colorado Springs, CO, and Eric and wife Brenda Ganshert of Tucson, AZ, grandchildren Christopher and wife Amanda Ganshert, Jacob Ganshert, and Alexander Ganshert all of Lincoln, NE, Rose Ganshert of Colorado Springs, CO, and Eriq and wife Rachel Ganshert of Tucson, AZ, and great-grand child Lucas Ganshert of Tucson, AZ.
Also surviving her are brother Owen and wife Marlene Davis of Rushville, NE, sister Glenda Davis Capler of Gordon, NE, Uncle Eldred and Aunt Jean Reeves of Gordon, NE, and Aunt Anna Allison of Rushville, NE, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and all of her Ganshert family from Wiscconsin.