Gerda E. Schaare, age 92, of Glenwood, MN, and formerly of Rock Falls, IL, died Thursday, July 16, 2015, at Glacial Ridge Hospital in Glenwood.  Funeral services will be held at 2 P.M. on Monday, July 20 ^th , at All Saint's Chapel in Glenwood Retirement Village, with Pastor Bonnie Lomen officiating.  Visitation will be on Monday at All Saint's Chapel, one hour prior to the service.  Interment will follow at Glenwood Lutheran Cemetery in Glenwood.  Arrangements are with Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home of Glenwood.

Gerda Edith Nawrath was born on June 24, 1923, to Hildegard (Fischer) Nawrath and Gunther Clemens Nawrath, in Rotibor, Germany.  Shortly after the start of WWII, her family moved to Munich.  Gerda was 16 years old at that time.  At age 19, she was drafted by the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) as a telephone operator.  After the war ended, and just days before her 30 ^th birthday, on June 5, 1953, Gerda immigrated to Stockton, California.  It was in California at a German dance that she met her future husband, Helmut August Schaare, a fellow German immigrant.  The two were married on October 26, 1957.  At the time Gerda was 34 years old and Helmut was 43. The couple made their home in Rock Falls, Illinois and it was there that they raised their two daughters, Ruth and Rita.

Helmut died on January 12, 1993, at the age of 78.  Gerda continued to live in Rock Falls until September of 2005, when she moved to Glenwood, MN, to be near her daughter, Ruth.  Since that time she had been a resident at Parkview Court.  Gerda was known to friends and family as "Oma", which is German for Grandma.  She loved to crochet colorful afghans and gave one to almost every resident and staff member at Parkview Court.  Gerda's love of German music and dancing continued throughout her life, as did her thick German accent.

Gerda died on Thursday, July 16, 2015, at Glacial Ridge Hospital in Glenwood, following a brief illness.  Blessed be her memory.

Gerda is survived by her two daughters, Ruth Gandrud and husband Erick, of Glenwood, MN, and Rita Pruis of Tinley Park, IL; four grandchildren, Brad Pruis and wife Kate, of Washington, IL, Jill Tegeler and husband Mitch of Rapid City, IL, Ryan Gandrud and wife Lacey of Buffalo, MN, and Rachel Gandrud of Edina, MN; five great-grandchildren, Isabella and Jackson Tegeler, Ethan and Ava Pruis, and Elin Gandrud; three siblings, Werner Nawrath and wife Heidi of Tucson, AZ, Horst Nawrath and wife June,  of Davis, CA, and Barbara Davies and husband Peter, of Golden, CO; along with many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Helmut; and a sister, Vera Sommer.