Margaret R. Gerch

May 23, 1928 - October 28, 2019

Margaret R. Gerch, 91, of Sioux City, died Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, at Sunrise Retirement Community. Services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday at Mater Dei Parish-Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday, with a parish vigil at 6:30 p.m., at Christy-Smith Funeral Homes, Morningside. Margaret Rose Rozendal, the daughter of Michael and Bertha (Scharfen) Rozendal, was born May 23, 1928, in West Point, Neb. She graduated high school in Pender, Neb., and went on to graduate from Ellis School of Beauty. Margaret married George "Layton" Gerch in Wayne, Neb., on a snowy May 27, 1947. They made their home in Sioux City, following some time in Hawarden, Iowa. Layton passed away in October 2009. Margaret was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church since 1948. She and Layton loved to travel in their motorhome across the country and snowbird in Florida each winter. She loved tending to her flowers, especially her roses and violets. Margaret had no siblings, but she and Layton had many dear friends and neighbors to share with. She was always a dog lover and forever had a dog as a companion at home and as they traveled. Margaret is survived by her children, Carol (Chuck) Happe of Sioux City, Tom (Peg) Gerch of Lincoln, Neb., Peg (Dave) Stara of Bruno, Neb., Mary Murkins of Sioux City, and Tim (Ann) Gerch of Lincoln, Neb.; daughter-in-law, Justine Gerch of Louisville, Ky.; 18 grandchildren; and 34 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Layton; her son, Terry; her grandson, Christopher; and her son-in-law, Randy. Margaret will be greatly missed by all of her family.