Obituary: Gertrude Olanda Young

Gertrude Olanda Young, 100, of Washington Island, died on January 25, 2017, just five days shy of her 101st birthday. She was at peace and at home with her family by her side.

Born January 30, 1916 to Norwegian immigrants, George and Olga (Pedersen) Jorgenson in Milwaukee, WI, she moved to Washington Island with her family as a child.

Gert attended Jackson Harbor School and maintained friendships with schoolmates throughout her life.

On April 11, 1938, she married Howard (Fred) Young in Waukegan, IL. They made their home on Washington Island and raised four sons and one daughter. Gert worked not only at home, but for others throughout her life.

She was noted for her baking and continued to bake the best bread, rolls, pies and cakes to ever come out of an oven well into her 100th year.

Gert is survived by sons Howard “Butch” (Ann), Robert, Larry (Jeanie), Dennis (Dianna) and daughter Vicki Rupiper, sixteen grandchildren, sixteen great-grandchildren and 10 great-great grandchildren, sister-in-law Everall Jorgenson and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by husband Howard (Fred) after 60 years of marriage, her siblings Gordon, Oliver, Leonard, Emily (Jensen), George, Rachel (Amelianovich), Margaret (Ragan) and Charles; son-in-law Wayne Rupiper and grandchildren Sandra, Jim and Chad Young.

Casperson Funeral Home is serving the family. A celebration of Gert’s life was held on January 30, 2017 at 11:00 A.M at Trinity Lutheran Church on Washington Island. Memorials may be given to the Washington Island Archives or Trinity Lutheran Stavkirke.