Lois Dorothy Gerken

I was born May 24, 1920 on a farm at Byers, Colorado where we lived until I was 10 years old. My father was Secretary and Treasure of the Byers State Bank. The depression was just starting and the Government closed all the banks. In 1930 we moved to Denver and bought a home at 803 E. Ellsworth Ave. My father then worked in Savings and Loans until the depression really got bad, and they also closed. We almost lost our home in 1934, but Morgan used his college savings and paid off the house, ($2800.00). The folks tried to sell it for $3500.00, but no sale, at which time they remodeled the drive-in garage in the basement, and we moved down there where we stayed until John and I were married. We then bought the house from Morgan for $13,000.00 and my folks continued to live in the basement. At the time, we were paying Morgan $15.00 per month rent for the basement, and the upstairs was rented for $27.00 per month. I graduated from South High School in 1938. (I went to Sherman grade school for 5th and 6th grade, Byers Jr. High, then South High). In the fall after graduation, I finally found a job at Spray Coffee Co. - 21st and Market. Hated the job, but stuck with it for almost 2 years before getting a better one. Just lucky to find a job in those days. Not trusting the character on Larimer St., where I caught the streetcar, I often went inside the drug store to wait, as it was a pretty rough neighborhood in those days (mostly drunks and homeless on the streets.), and this is where I net your Dad, John. He was a pharmacist and worked 11 hours a day 6 days a week , and 4 hours on Sunday morning. At the time he was living a 233 So. Ogen. Neither of us know how close we lived to each other. We were married June 7, 1941, renting the house from Morgan for a few months before buying it. My folks continued to line in the basement. (they lived with us the rest of their lives). I changed jobs a few months before getting married and worked for Texaco as a bookkeeper, and loved it, but as I got pregnant right after marriage I had to give it up before too long. Your dad also changed jobs a few months after we married and worked for Jackson Drug on Alameda and Downing until we finally bought our own drug store. We bought Gaylord Drug Store on March 8, 1948 - 1059 S. Gaylord. That was just 3 months before Sheila was Born. On November 1954 we bought the house at 366 S. Race St., selling our home on Ellsworth for $20,000. We lived there until buying our Condo here in Windsor Gardens in 1987. 33 happy years in that house. Paid $90,000.00 for the Condo, and sold our home for $119,000.00. It was just getting to be too much work outside for me after your Dad had his stroke, and he didn't have the strength to do much. We kept our Drug Store for 28, years. Deciding to finally close it and retire, as big business and shopping centers were becomming the way of life, and small businesses were struggling. I did our bookkeeping for all 28 years we had the store. We closed the doors on April 1, 1976 (Your Dad's birthday). After your Dad had a severe stroke on September 1, 1977, I went back to work at cherry Creek Card Shop as a part time clerk, where I worked until we moved out here at Windsor Gardens. World War II hit the U.S. with the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7th, the same year we were married, and really changed the lives of everyone. Everything was used for the war, so there was rationing of almost everything from coffee - sugar - meat - gasoline, shoes, just to name a few. Your dad was classified 1A right after Jerry was born, but because of his occupation, he got a deferment, and never was called. We were really a very lucky family. None of my brothers or John's brothers were ever called into service for the U.S. The hardships of wartime didn't go away as soon as a war is over. It took a couple of years before things got back to some normalcy, then many wonderful changes for the better came along, just a they are today, from medicines to home living. John had also developed Emphazima, and it seemed to be getting harder for him to get his breath. He finally had to go on oxygen almost a year after we moved to Windsor Gardens, but we loved living out here and never had any regrets about selling our home. We truly enjoyed Windsor Garden's and entered into many of the activities that were available. John passed away April 8, 1992. He just had his 79th birthday. Bob and Bee Densmer were customers at our store, living right across the ally from Grace and Merrell Knight. Unknown to us or them, they moved to Windsor about 5 years after we did. The same building and the same floor. The 4 of us spent many enjoyable evenings playing Pinochle, and Rumicubes together. Bee passed away from a massive stroke July 8, 1992, just 3 months after I lost John. Bob and back surgery in 1976, and had to use a tens unit daily from that time on, but it required someone to put the patches on every morning. I had done it a few different times when Bee was in the hospital, so I kept doing it for him. Bob and I were married August 14, 1993, and had 3 wonderful years- trips to Pôrto Vallarta, Mexico, The Black Hills and Passion Play, a trip to California for a few short days with Sheila, a trip to Hawaii, and many nice week-end or day trips to places I had never seen. June of 1996 Bob had an abdominal aorta aneurysm that changed his life and mine completely. Bob was unconscious for 11 days in Intensive care, then into a room where he spent a total of 1 month in the hospital then to a nursing home for 2 weeks after which I brought Him Home. He managed, but never felt good again. In 1998 he developed lymphoma Cancer on the side of his face and neck - went thru a set of Chemo Therapy treatments. It cleared up, but but came back lower down, and they gave him 25 radiation treatments, and burned him very badly. Just getting over that, and he had such pain, we went back to the hospital and they found a spot on his lung, so after 4 days, moved him to hospice, and he only lasted another 8 days. He passed away October 12, 2000. 4 days before his 79th birthday. Lois's family. Father; Louis Minkner, Mother; Caroline Morgensen Minkner, Husband; John Gerken, Son; Jerry (Judy) Gerken, Son; Fred (Sandy) Gerken, Daughter; Sheila Evans. Granddaughter; Annie Ranum, Granddaughter; Chelle Boxler, Grandson; Ed Gerken, Grandson; John (Debbie) Gerken, Grandson; Ken (Ann) Gerken, Grandson; Tommy Gerken, Granddaughter; Marci (Eric) Bodenhousen,Grandson; Kevin Carlson, Great Grandson; Johnny Ranum, Great Grandson; Andrew Boxler, Great Grandson; Jeffrey Boxler, Great Grandson; Kyle Gerken, Great Granddaughter; Ashley Gerken, Great Grandson; Caleb Gerken, Great Granddaughter; Claire Gerken, Great Granddaughter; Emily Gerken, Great Granddaughter; Erika Bodenhousen, Great Granddaughter; Amanda Westlake, Great Granddaughter; Brittney Westlake, Great Granddaughter; Heather Howell, Great Grandson; Sydney Carlson, Brother; Cleo Minkner, Brother; Dale Minkner, Brother; Morgan Minkner.