Private immediate family funeral services for Martha Swanson, 88, of Aurelia, will be held with burial in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, rural Aurelia, as Martha wished. There will be no visitation.
Martha Ann Gerstandt, the youngest child of Hugo and Emma (Streufert) Gerstandt, was born on November 19, 1934 in the family farm home near Calumet, in Cherokee County, Iowa. She was baptized and confirmed at Zion Evangelical and Reformed Church in Calumet.
She attended and graduated from Larrabee, IA, School in 1952. Martha continued her education at Morningside College in Sioux City, IA. After obtaining a teacher’s certificate in 1954 she taught for five years. Always striving to obtain her degree, Martha would attend college night classes. Her summers were filled with various jobs: newspaper office, credit bureau, etc.
In 1957 Martha accompanied her parents to Germany for a month, to the birthplace of her father Hugo. She enjoyed meeting several relatives. A week trip to Switzerland, by Martha, while in Europe was enjoyed also.
On February 27, 1959 Martha was united in marriage to Floyd D. Swanson at the Zion Evangelical Reformed Church in Calumet. They made their home on a farm near Aurelia, IA.
Martha joined the Congregational Church in Aurelia in 1963. She taught Sunday School, Bible School, and held various offices in Women’s Fellowship and Church Council.
She was a helpmate to her husband, Floyd, during harvest driving truck or tractor or preparing a meal for extra farm help. In her spare time Martha enjoyed reading and doing genealogical work on Floyd’s ancestry in Sweden and Martha’s in Germany.
Family vacations were taken to the east and west coast with a motorhome. In later years Martha and Floyd enjoyed short fun trips.
In 2004 a second cousin from Germany visited Floyd and Martha on their farm, a visit the family treasured along with the breaking of bread together with extended family.
Martha took great interest and pride in all of her children and grandchildren’s activities. Perhaps no longer able to attend she was always cheering them on and kept each and every one in her thoughts and prayers.
Martha died Tuesday, April 25, 2023 at her home.
Preceding Martha in death were her parents, her husband Floyd on September 7, 2013, four brothers and their wives: August and Geneva Gerstandt, Herman and Delores Gerstandt, Edward and Erma Gerstandt, and Albert and Elfrieda Gerstandt, four sisters and their husbands: Elsie and Lester Kuehl, Margaret Gerstandt in infancy, Ida and Delbert Wiese, and Helen and Elmer Dau, one niece, Judy (Gerstandt) Wallace and one nephew, Marvin Gerstandt.
Martha leaves to cherish her memory three children: Teresa Kelley of Sioux City, IA, Bill Swanson of Aurelia, and Byron and his wife Michelle (Caboth) Swanson of Aurelia. Also surviving are four grandchildren: Sarah and husband Anthony Gill of Jackson, NE, Amanda and husband Austin Stuhr of Alta, IA, Matthew Swanson and Michael Swanson both of Indianola, IA, one great-grandson, Braxton Stuhr of Alta, and nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends.