Ollie Gehrke

(From Thornhill-Dillon Mortuary)

Mr. Oliver Irving “Ollie” Gehrke, 71, of Joplin, Missouri, passed away Saturday morning, April 16, 2016 at Mercy Hospital in Joplin following a short illness.

Ollie was born February 21, 1945 in Medford, Wisconsin to the union of the late Donald Gehrke and Beatrice (Haydon) Gehrke. He graduated in 1963 from Owen-Withee High School in Owen, Wisconsin. After graduation, Ollie served four years in the United States Army and completed two tours in Vietnam. On April 7, 1968, he married Kathryn E. Gass in Joplin, Missouri. In 1976, Ollie and Kathryn moved to Joplin, Missouri, where he became employed as a machinist with King Press, retiring in 2007. He greatly enjoyed hunting, fishing and spending time tinkering in his garage.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Patricia Langhoff.

Ollie is survived by his wife of forty-eight years, Kathryn E. Gehrke, of the home; his three children, Donald Gehrke of Springfield, Missouri, David Gehrke and wife, Virginia, of Dunnegan, Missouri, and Jennifer Danner and husband, Jeremiah, of Joplin, Missouri; five grandchildren, Steven Gehrke, Michael Gehrke, Kaitlyn Danner, Sara Danner and Lauren Danner; two great-grandchildren, Zaiden Gehrke and Oliver Gehrke; and one sister, Alice Siggelkow, and husband, Bob, of O’Fallon, Missouri.