Gerta Ottilie Warnholtz

Gerta O. Warnholtz, 94, of Sioux City passed away Monday, March 9, 2015, at Regency Square Care Center in South Sioux City.
Services will be 10 a.m. Friday at Third Presbyterian Church. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 7 p.m. today at Morningside Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Home.
Gerta Ottilie Warnoltz was born on March 22, 1920, in Gross-Auheim, Germany, the daughter of Joseph and Ottilie Gorny. She married Paul Emken on June 8, 1940, in Bremerhaven, Germany. Gerta and Paul had two daughters, Solveig Gerty Emken and Ute Edith Emken. Paul was killed at the Russian front only three weeks before World War II ended, and Ute died of pneumonia shortly before that time.
On Jan. 26, 1954, Gerta and her daughter, Solveig, came to Sioux City, proudly becoming a United States citizen on April 10, 1957. She was employed at Johnson Biscuit Co. baking cookies for 17 years. Gerta also worked as a cashier for the Castle Inn Restaurant where she met Neil. Gerta married William Neil Warnholtz on June 1, 1971, and enjoying 30 happy years together before his death in 2000.
Gerta and Neil were dedicated members of Third Presbyterian Church in Sioux City. One of her greatest and fondest memory was spending her summers with Neil on the island in Canada. Gerta was a member of the St. Luke's Auxiliary, Symphony Guild, and the Baker's Union 433. She spent many hours working as a volunteer in the Marian Health Center Gift Shop.
Gerta loved to crochet and left her mark with the dish towels that she crocheted on a continual basis for family and friends. She also loved to cook and bake, especially her homemade pecan rolls. She loved to entertain and always had homemade cookies available just in case any visitors stopped by the house.
Survivors include her daughter, Solveig Gerty Runge; and her three granddaughters, Erika and Chris Zins of St. Michael, Minn., and their children, Bianca and Trevor, Ursula Runge of Sioux City, and her children, Landen and Jacob, and Ronja and William Butler of Camden, N.J., and their children, Carson and Kaden.
Gerta is preceded in death by her sister, Edith of Germany; and her son-in-law, Ronald Emery Runge, who was an attorney in Sioux City.
Gerta's family would like to thank Regency Center in South Sioux City for their incredible care of Gerta. They would also like to thank the Paul Wenberg family for their continual love and presence after Gerta and Solveig arrived in the United States.
Gerta's family suggests memorial contributions be sent to the Siouxland Historical Railroad Association at http://www.milwaukeerailroadshops.org/contact.html or mailed to address of P.O. Box 1355, Sioux City, IA 51102