Edith C. Gipp

Edith C. Gipp, age 88, of Decorah, Iowa, died on Monday, May 7, 2007, at the Aase Haugen Nursing Home in Decorah, Iowa, following a brief illness. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, May 10, 2007 at the Washington Prairie Lutheran Church with Rev. Kim Smith officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Friends may call from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday at the Schluter – Balik Funeral Home, in Decorah, and after 10:00 a.m. at the church on Thursday morning. Edith Charlotte (Sersland) Gipp was born on October 11, 1918, the daughter of Theodore and Helga (Anderson) Sersland, in Frankville Township, rural Winneshiek County, Iowa. Edith was baptized on Nov. 17, 1918 and confirmed on May 29, 1932 at Washington Prairie Lutheran Church by Rev. Paul Koren. Edith attended country school at the Bakke School in Frankville Township and graduated from Decorah High School on May 27, 1937. She married Elmer Gipp on August 23, 1939, at the Washington Prairie Lutheran Church. They built their own home and farmed together for twenty-seven years until 1966, when they moved into Decorah. Edith then worked for Luther College in Food Service for two years and for twelve years in the Laundry Dept. Edith was a member of the Washington Prairie Lutheran Church, WELCA and circle and always enjoyed the Fall Festival. She enjoyed gardening, her flower gardens, baking, sewing and doing handwork, but most of all she enjoyed and loved her family and grandchildren. Edith’s survivors include her four daughters: Linda (Don) Hoppel, Garner, IA; Lois (Paul) Estrem, Decorah, IA; Lana (Troy) Beam, Prior Lake, MN and Lorna Gipp, Eden Prairie, MN. Nine grandsons: Scott (Beth) Hoppel, Mark (Tammy) Hoppel, Chris Estrem, Steve (Cindy) Estrem, Mike (Deb) Estrem, Peter Estrem, Jason (Leslie) Estrem, Todd Giem and Josh Giem. Four great grandchildren: Nicholas Hoppel, Katie Hoppel, Marissa Hill and Michael Hill. Two sisters-in-law: Marie Sersland, Decorah, IA and Evelyn Gipp, Mahtomedi, MN. Edith was preceded in death by her parents: Theodore and Helga Sersland; her husband: Elmer on April 20, 1989 and her son: Lyle in 1971. Two brothers: Harold Sersland and Edgar Sersland. Three sisters: Alice Hammel, Norma Hegg and Becky Daniels. One infant brother: Thelmer Sersland. One nephew: Tom Sersland and two nieces: Carmen (Sersland) Twesme and Sharon (Gipp) Wesp.