Celebrating the life of Jane Ellen Gegel….
Funeral Services for Jane Gegel of New Richland, MN, will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 at LeSueur River Lutheran Church, rural New Richland, MN. The Reverend Charles Espe will officiate. Private family interment will be at Baldwin Cemetery, Baldwin, IL. Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. on Monday, June 5 at Friedrich/Bonnerup Funeral Home, New Richland, and one hour before the service at the church.
Jane died at home surrounded by her loving family on Tuesday, May 30, 2017. She was 60.
She was born January 1, 1957, the first baby of the year at Red Bud Hospital, daughter of Elbert “Pete” and Fern (Gregson) Wehrheim of Baldwin, IL. Jane graduated from Red Bud High School and then from Belleville Area College, receiving her Associate in Applied Science Degree as a Medical Laboratory Technician.
She worked at St. Clement’s Hospital in Red Bud from 1977 – 1980. Jane was united in marriage to her high school sweetheart, Brian Kenneth Gegel, May 24, 1980 in Baldwin, IL and they started their married life together in Midland, MI. In Michigan, Jane worked at the Midland Community Hospital, and it was here their children, Jessica and Joshua, were born. In 1990, they moved to Carmel, IN, where Jane volunteered and later worked at Woodbrook Elementary School where both her children were students. She later worked as church secretary/Ministry Assistant at Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Indianapolis, IN. In 2008, Jane and Brian moved to Chicago where she was the seminary receptionist at the Lutheran School of Theology. In 2012 they moved to New Richland, MN, where Pastor Brian Gegel began his ministry at LeSueur River and Vista Lutheran Churches.
Jane was an active member of her many church communities. She shared her creative talents in many ways: quilting, cross-stitching, and especially in paper crafting, lovingly making handmade cards for all the special events in the lives of others. She was a voracious reader, and an avid sports fan. She traveled extensively with Brian and the kids, and with her sister, Carol. She loved playing games with her family, especially her nieces and nephews, and she almost always won. Even though there were often many miles between, Jane held her family and those she loved very close. She was an example of grace, strength, and compassion to everyone she encountered.
Jane will be greatly missed by her husband Brian, daughter Jessica of Traverse City, MI, son Joshua of New Richland, MN; siblings: Carol Wehrheim of Princeton, NJ, Ron (Sue) Wehrheim of Woodlawn, IL, Bill (Brenda) Wehrheim of Red Bud, IL, Glenn (Jill) Wehrheim of Waterloo, IL, Mary (Tom) Cavalier of Glen Carbon, IL; mother- and father-in-law Ken (Eunice) Gegel of Baldwin, IL, brothers-in-law Stan Gegel of Baldwin, IL, Mike (Tammy) Gegel of Wapakoneta, OH, and a multitude of nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents Elbert “Pete” and Fern Wehrheim, brother David Wehrheim, and brother-in-law Charles Kuehner.
Memorials in Jane’s honor may be made to the Cancer Research Institute, Lutheran World Relief, or CaringBridge.