Karen Ruth Gertz
March 23, 1946 ~ August 29, 2004
Resided in:
Hendersonville, NC
Asheville Butterfly Trail
Karen Ruth Gertz, died Sunday, August 29, 2004, at her residence.
Born in Hutchinson, Kansas, she grew up in Valley City, ND and was the daughter of Kermit Lange and Joceline "Jo" Lange of Phoenix, Arizona.
Karen was a member of the Living Savior Lutheran Church, the Tar Heels Quilt Club and was the owner of a medical transcription business.
In addition to her parents, Karen is survived by her husband, Detlef "Doug" Gertz; her daughter and son-in-law, Anita and Timothy Plagge of San Diego, CA; two sisters, Tresa Ewerdt and Marsha Vilhauer; a brother, Douglas Lange; seven nephews and three nieces.
A funeral service will be held in the chapel of Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian at 10:30 am Thursday conducted by Pastor John Qualmann and Vicar Benjamin Tomczak. Interment will be at 2:00 pm in the Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery.
Karen's family will receive friends from 7 until 8 pm Wednesday at the funeral home on Long Shoals Road.
Memorials may be made to the Living Savior Lutheran Church Building Fund, 301 Overlook Road, Asheville, NC 28803.
Karen was a good friend and person, and always thinking of others. She will be deeply missed. I’m glad she isn’t suffering any more, and I know she is in a better place now.
Dear Doug, Tresa, Jo and Kermit,
Our thoughts and prayers are with each of you as you mourn the loss of your loved one. God bless you.
Jon and Pam Otterstatter
Doug,
please accept my deepest sympathy, it is a great loss, all thoughts with you
Doug & family,
I was so saddened to hear about the untimely passing of your wife. It is so difficult to lose a loved one and losing your wife must be a sorrow unlike any other. In reading the condolences in the guestbook I saw how important and influencial she was is so many peoples lives. What a wonderful tribute to her.
May the love you feel for Karen lessen your sorrow and give you comfort.
My deepest sympathy,
To Karen, one of the most courageous and beautiful women I have been associated with. I have never seen her without that big smile, even through all her adversities. She was truly an inspiration to me through the few short years I have known her. She was so talented and determined to achieve all she could while here on this earth and still maintaining close friendships with those that loved her and she loved.
What a wonderful time the angels are having with her in their midst. I will miss her charm, loveliness, intelligence, beauty, talents and courage but I know she is in a wonderful place where there is no longer pain and we can carry her memory in our hearts forever. Until we meet again, hopefully quilting in heaven, may the Lord be with you and may He bless your family and friends left here to cherish wonderful memories.
I love you, Jo Ann Forbes
One of your quilting ‘bee’ friends!
With deepest sympathy on the loss of a truely warm and loving soul. God bless you all.
Karen, you were and will continue to be an inspiration to us. Your smile and talent will remain in our hearts forever as will your faith, courage and optimism. ’til we met again in the great quilt & chat in heaven. I hope to see you then. Your presence hear has blessed many of us. Your memory will remain deep in our hearts forever.
With deepest sympathy on the loss of a truely warm and loving soul. God bless you all.
Jesus says, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even though he dies.’ We know that we will see Karen again when Jesus comes back for us all. Until then, may his comfort keep us–especially you, Doug.
Each day is a gift from God’ Our dear Karen- You truly made those inspiring words meaningful. We love you and as Pastor would say, ‘See you later!’ Jan and Jim
Karen was a wonderful friend full of love and caring. She was such a wonderful example of how a Christian should live, even when she was sick she still praised the Lord for everything good in her life. I will never forget Karen or her wonderful Christian example. I will miss her very much.
Karen was a beautiful example of a Christian who lived her faith each day. She was and always will be an inspiration to me. I’m thankful to God that our paths crossed on this side of heaven. I have learned a lot from her on what it means to walk by faith and not by sight. I will miss her terribly.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this time – we pray the happy memories you shared will sustain you and give you commfort. God bless you and keep you in His care.
Karen’s friendship was a true gift to me and everyone who was privileged to know and love her. She earned her angel’s wings many times over. My deepest sympathy.
We will surely miss Karen and her beautiful smile. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and Anita.
Karen’s soul now belongs to the Divine Savior. Her memory lives in the hearts of all who loved her.
Karen moved away from Livonia several years ago but she never moved away from her friends. Her faith in God was a shining light in this dark world. She lived as if she would live forever (she will) and she worked as if she would die that very day. In spite of her illness she reached out to others and encouraged them. She will remain a gift from God in my life.
I thank God for the faith God placed in her heart.
Revelations 2:10 ‘Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life.’ He who is faithful has done that.
Please accept my deepest sympathy in your great loss.
My thoughts and prayers are with you in this difficult time.
What a flood of memories — from playing hopscotch in Valley City, through visits in Washington and Oregon, to our visit in North Carolina. It is often said that the friends you make as a child retain a special place in your life. Karen was a friend of my youth, my adulthood, and will stay in my heart forever. My husband and I extend our heartfelt condolences to her family and friends.
John and Linda (Hockenberry) Greenaway
For Karen who was and continues to be a beautiful example of faith, love and hope – Romans 8:17 ‘Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.’
And for all who knew and loved her, especially Doug and her family-
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 ‘Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.’
Karen and I shared some similar things… our first names, our love of our families,our mutual Lutheran-based beliefs and also… the same diagnosis. We became friends through written words sent over e-mails for the past 6 mo. We shared many intimate thoughts as we lived with this disease day to day. We made ‘connections’ to put it simply. But, what we formed between us wasn’t simple. I will miss her greatly and will hold her close to my heart … My sincere sympathy to her family. There’s a bright star in God’s heaven with the name Karen Gertz on it and oh how it lights up the sky!
I wish you my sympathy and prayers. Karen used to be in my transcription chapter (Greater Detroit Chapter). God bless all of you.
Carmen Buckner
Dear Doug, Anita, Tim, Jo, Kermit, and Karen’s brother and sisters – Karen was our shining example of a hero of faith – just as she studied with us in the Women’s Bible class. She had the firm faith and trust that Abraham had – never doubting that God would keep his promises. She exemplified Joseph’s confidence in God that everything which happened God meant for good. And like King David she trusted implicitly in God’s forgiveness. She will be sorely missed in many venues we are certain – but with the apostle Paul we say ‘Rejoice in the Lord always! And again I say rejoice!’ We rejoice because Karen was a part of our lives and she contributed so much to our lives – and we rejoice even more greatly because she is now with the Old Testament heroes of faith – praising and serving God for eternity!
May God our Father, our Redeemer and Sanctifier comfort you all with the comfort only He can give – the peace which passes ALL understanding.
Doug: I have the following posted above my desk. Unfortunately, lately I have been referring to it all too often:
There are many mysteries in life
many things we don’t understand
God doesn’t always tell us
how He’s working out His plan
But in His time and in His way
He clearly lets us know
He’s working out His best for us
because He loves us so.
Dear Doug, Anita, and Tim: My sincere sympathy. I worked with Karen at Providence Hospital in Southfield. Karen and I became friends and every day during lunch we would share our feelings about life, family, and our children. Karen always spoke with great pride about Anita and always had wonderful stories. How we loved to talk about our children. Karen shared in my sorrow when I lost my son and she shared in my joy when I became a mother again. She was a good friend who will truly be missed by many. I will always remember her words – ‘Remember, today is a gift from God’.