Longtime Oakville resident Gertrude Maring will celebrate her 102nd birthday Saturday, May 12, with her family at the Laclede Lutheran Convalescent Home.
Gertrude Maring moved to Oakville in 1962 with her husband, the Rev. Wilbur Maring, who was called to be pastor of Faith Lutheran Church, then located at 5911 Telegraph Road.
The church, now located at 6101 Telegraph Road, has grown from several-hundred members when Rev. Maring was a pastor. Faith Lutheran now serves more than 2,700 people in two states and two locations under the leadership of the Rev. John Brunette.
At Faith, Gertrude taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, Weekday School of Religion, served on the St. Louis Zone Lutheran Women’s Missionary League board and was a youth counselor.
Before coming to St. Louis, she was recognized by the state of Missouri for her work with the Illmo 4-H Club and the Scott County 4-H Council.
At Gertrude’s 100th birthday, Pastor Brunette said, “To understand the future, it is always important to understand and regularly visit the past. When I began my ministry at Faith 20 years ago, it was obvious that I was there to carry on a vision that God had already given to Pastor Maring.
“When we would interview Gertrude, she would always speak about how her husband saw potential in Oakville, and at Faith, to reach many people. I have always used that as a foundation for reaching people in the Oakville community and beyond. Gertrude has also been the voice that has carried on her husband’s vision and her vision.
“God has blessed this vision beyond our imagination,” Pastor Brunette added.
Gertrude was born May 14, 1910, in the small, Midwestern town of Alma.
After graduation, she worked in Kansas City as a comptometer operator. This machine was the first commercially successful, key-driven mechanical calculator.
She also enjoyed working as a nanny for several prominent Kansas City families.
In 1939, she married the Rev. Wilbur Maring from Aullville, near Concordia, and served with him at Lutheran churches in Wellsville, Illmo-Scott City and Oakville, and also in retirement at churches in Jonesburg and Warrenton.
Rev. Maring died in 1978.
Gertrude has three children: Elizabeth (David) of Oakville; David (Jane) of Chicago; and Paul (Kit) of Kirkwood.
She enjoys spending time with her seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Gertrude’s grandparents were George and Minnie Hemme. Ann Nicholas, a great-granddaughter of George and Minnie, presented Gertrude with a book of Hemme family history for her 100th birthday.
It was dedicated to Gertrude and to Ann’s aunt, Viola Kobs Heins. Ann included information from contacts with various Hemme families across the United States.
Gertrude was thrilled to give a copy of the book filled with pictures and stories to her children and grandchildren for Christmas. Ann Nicholas can be contacted at annierich@att.net.
Birthday greetings for Gertrude can be sent to:
Gertrude Maring
c/o Elizabeth Spencer
2540 River Winds Court
St. Louis, MO 63129