Ethel K. Gage

Ethel K. Gage, 88, of 621 3rd St. SE, died Sunday (January 2, 2005) at the Good Shepherd Health Center. Funeral services will be held 1:30 PM Thursday at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 329 East State Street with Rev. Paul Finger officiating. Interment will be in Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation will be from 11:30 AM till time of service Thursday at the church. Memorials may be given to St. Paul Lutheran Church. Ethel was born March 17, 1916, to Axel and Tekla Wallskog in Mason City. She grew up on 29th Street, singing duets and four-part harmony with her sister and friends on their front porch. She graduated from high school in June 1933 and married Howard Gage October 30, 1941. Their children Margaret, Ada, Jim and Pete were born in subsequent years. Ethel was one of the early shapers of St. Paul Lutheran Church and stayed very active in its ministries throughout her life. She participated in women?s groups and spent many hours visiting shut-ins and those living in nursing homes. One of the joys of her last years was her Tuesday morning bible study, in which she met with caring women from her church at Good Shepherd Nursing Home. Ethel was devoted to her family, her husband, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, all of whom loved her kindness, generosity and sense of humor. She loved violets, the smell of lavender, meeting her friends for birthday brunches, attending bible study, singing, traveling and cooking. Her family and friends will miss her delicious Sunday dinners, her caring and attentiveness and the funny items she cut out of newspapers and pasted on her kitchen cupboards. Ethel will be missed by Howard, her husband for 63 years; her daughter, Ada Grosland and husband Ron of Austin, Minnesota; two sons, Jim Gage and wife, Kathy, of Juneau, Alaska, and Pete Gage and friend, Debbie of Louisville, Colorado; son-in-law Dennis Marsh and wife Nancy of Wuerzburg, Germany; grandchildren Molly Marsh, Mindy Ray, Andrew, Kris and Matt Grosland, Sean Gage, Morgen Obersinner-Gage, Levi and Logan Obersinner; great-grandchildren Ellie, Timmy, Leah, and Hannah Ray; and many other well-loved family members. Ethel was preceded in death by her beloved daughter Margaret (Maggie) Marsh; parents, Axel and Tekla (Mogren) Wallskog; sister, Hazel Brown; brothers, Lansing and Albert Wallskog and her nephew Michael Wallskog.

Visitation:
11:30 AM to 1:30 PM at St. Paul Lutheran Church on January 6, 2005 (map/driving directions) 6:00 PM to 6:00 PM at St. Paul Lutheran Church on January 3, 2005 (map/driving directions)

Service:
1:30 PM at St. Paul Lutheran Church on January 6, 2005 (map/driving directions)