Julia "Judy" Virginia Gerbig

Judy's life, as told by Judy to a friend in an email titled "Recipe Exchange Plus Story of My Life (Got Time?)": I was born on October 18, 1931 in Rawlins County, Kansas near Beardsley, in an old family sod house. Dad, Robert Austin, was Scotch-Irish; a musician. Mom, Julia Appolenia (Sis) Austin Vandiver, was a Czech and a farmer's daughter. Younger brothers, David Allen Austin, born August 4, 1936 in Rawlins County, KS (Atwood) and short-lived Robert Frank Austin, seven days. Younger sister, Ann Austin Cech, born August 29, 1934 in Rawlins County, KS also.

My dad met my mom at a local dance "polka" hall during the depression of the 1930's. Dad wasn't much of a farmer, so we moved to Denver, Colorado looking for work. No luck, so they moved back to McCook, NE. Mom and us kids moved to Lincoln, NE with the help of grandma in McCook. This is when the war broke out in 1942. Lived in Lincoln ever since the age of 11. Mom got a job at a bakery. I learned to cook pork chops, mashed potatoes and gravy, and green beans. That's what us kids lived on. By 1949, I was 18 and married my beau, Donley Gerbig.

By 1957, we had four kids (Stan, Karen, Karla, and Steve), a nice home, pretty thriving gasoline jobbership business that Don shared with his father, Fred Gerbig, along with the farm. Worked our fingers to the bone but it was good. Thirteen years later, we had a late bloomer, Kristen, which gave us five children; ages 19 years - 1 year old.

Going into the 1970's, the kids were in college, junior high, and a baby. By the 1980's, the gas shortage came with competition problems from chain stores it forced us to sell the family oil jobbership. We could no longer afford to buy the trainload quantities required to compete. It was very very hard to give it up, but we had to. Our business, Gerbig Oil, was directly across the road from the Nebraska State Penitentiary and being a crossroads of two major highways. Grandpa Gerbig had passed away and with hard-to-find help, we sold the valuable ground and moved from the city back to the family farm and tried farming. During the time at the station, Stan and Steve raced motorcycles, our daughters showed horses, we had fun.

With raising hay and 14 years of farming, the family farm was encroached by the city limits and the farm was sold as taxes were too high. The family farm became Southwest High School area. We "left" the city and joined a country-style Lutheran church - Faith of Our Fathers, Missouri Synod in Roca, with lovely persons. I ended up being a good cook, mother, and housewife. I canned from our gardens and me & Don worked side-by-side. Kids were good for the most part. My dad died while we were on the farm - he had moved from Oklahoma to Lincoln. Due to farming, cooking, and aging, I used my walker more and more. I had two parrots, my husband, and we all got to squawking pretty good at each other. After the farm, we moved into a beautiful home. The stairs were a bit too much for me, but I survived.

Now to another part of my life, collecting. It included clocks, crocks, primitives, and went from there. We ended up with quite a collection. Our lovely house was in an association with wonderful neighbors. Well, guess what, the city is encroaching on our home again. Facing another condemnation from the City Hall. The story of our lives: six condemnations on the farm, five on the service station, and now two upcoming. Yet life is good - it's living that's difficult. You just keep on, keeping on.

During these years, I enjoyed being a Girl Scout Leader and receiving strengthening with my O.A. and support groups. I was also recognized as "Volunteer of the Month" from Lincoln General Hospital. After Don passed in 2013, it started to get harder to maintain. I went from my lovely home to a nursing home. Good and bad times. I loved playing card games, Scrabble with my Aunt Francis, computer games, and strengthening my word capacity. As life treats us all, I got old and struggled with walking. Blessed with many years of life, I'm ready for what's to come next with the good Lord. I have been blessed with five children, eleven grandkids, and fourteen great-grandkids. Life also included great memories, sadness, adventures, volunteering, friends, and a full experience of life. It's now time to rest.

Judy is survived by her children, Stan (Nancy) Gerbig, Karen Gerbig Wimmer, Karla (Kenny) Gerbig Pfaff, Stephan Gerbig, Kristin (Patrick) Gerbig Clyne; brother, David Austin; half-sister, Theresa Austin Barlor; ten grandchildren; and fourteen great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Donley; an infant child; sister, Ann Austin Cech; brother, Robert Austin; and grandsons, Arlyn John Gerbig and Eric Gerbig.

A visitation for Judy will be held Friday, January 17, 2025 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home, 6800 S. 14th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska 68512. A funeral service will occur Saturday, January 18, 2025 at 11:30 AM at Faith of Our Fathers Lutheran Church, 15580 E Street, Roca, Nebraska 68430. Judy will be laid to rest in Lincoln Memorial Park and Cemetery, Lincoln Memorial Park, 6700 South 14th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska 68512.

Memorials can be made in Judy's name to Faith of Our Fathers, 15580 E Street, Roca, NE 68430 or Capital Humane Society, 6500 South 70th Street, Lincoln, NE 68516.