Gertrude Carolyn Duffert, age 85, of Flandreau, SD, passed at the Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls on Thursday, May 30, 2024. Funeral service was held Tuesday, June 4, 2024 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Flandreau, SD.
Gert was born on April 22, 1939, to John and Lora (Meier) Schurman in Garretson, SD. She attended country school though 8th grade. Next, she attended and graduated from Garretson High School in 1957.
Gert married Alvin Duffert on March 1, 1960. To this union three children were born: John, Karen, and Debbi. They farmed and milked cows for years east of Flandreau. They attended Lone Rock Lutheran Church, where Gert taught Sunday School. She was also a 4-H leader.
Gert began working at the West End Café in Flandreau where she met her soulmate, Dallas Petersen. She then attended school at Minnesota West, Pipestone, MN, where she received her degree in bookkeeping.
Gert started working for Loiseau Construction July 25,1989. She loved her job. She often got to work early and enjoyed communicating with the guys in the office and on the road. Gert retired December 31, 2016. She also worked for Eastern Dakota Specialties (Mick & Cindy Loiseau) and JR Loiseau Construction on a part-time basis until July 2022.
Gert took much pride in watching her grandchildren in various activities. Holidays were spent with various family members. She was a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church.
Gert could never leave farming totally behind. After purchasing a house in Flandreau, she mowed the lawn for herself and three of her neighbors faithfully and enjoyed every minute or it. She and Dallas had a great love of nature. They would spend hours watching and counting deer and other wildlife. When an eagle nested in Flandreau Park, they went out daily to watch the nest until the eaglets were born. She and Dallas also enjoyed fishing and golf.
Survivors include her children: John (Cindy) Duffert, Flandreau, Karen (Dave) Viste, Sioux Falls, and Debbie Feenstra (Daren) Corsica; bonus children Scott (Angie) Petersen, and Shawn (Joy) Petersen; her sisters, Joan Vandevoorde and Kay (Rolland) Kortlever; grandchildren: Jeremie (Marcia) Houtman, Stefanie (Darrel) Bonrud, Robert (Becky) Viste, Heather (John) Viste, Michael Viste, Kylee (Tyler) Wickstrom, Dalton Feenstra, and Cole (Tiah) Feenstra: nine great-grandchildren; along with six bonus grandchildren, Jeremy, Ryan, Taryn, Amanda, Kogan and Braydn; and eight bonus great-grandchildren.
Gert was preceded in death by her parents; an infant son and an infant daughter; siblings: Joyce Becker, Edwin Schurman, and Luetta Peake.
