Gerda Dreyer went to be with her Lord on Sunday March 18th, 2018. Gerda is survived by Adam, her beloved husband of 65 years, her sons Ken and Tom, her daughter-in-law Erin and the apple of her eye, granddaughter Ruby. Gerda will be loved and missed by her sister Ursula, the last of seven siblings, and the rest of her extensive family in Germany.

Gerda led a life devoted to her family and friends. After arriving in 1952 from Germany to marry Adi, Gerda worked at the General Hospital for a number of years, and began her life-long connection with the First Baptist Church. The sons came along in 1960 and 1964, and Gerda embarked on her career of Mother and homemaker extraordinaire. Adi worked out of town quite a bit, so raising two rambunctious boys mostly on her own was quite a challenge, but Gerda did a great job of it.

Baking and cooking were two things Gerda loved doing and was quite renowned for. Being an immigrant herself and having such a generous and caring spirit, Gerda was forever inviting people from foreign lands or university students from out of town over for dinner. The fact that some of these people have kept in touch even decades later is a testament to the impact she made on people's lives. Gerda's black forest cake was always a big hit, as was the ample supply of German chocolate always on hand. There is a rumour that Brent Park Store is going to name one of their chocolate shelves the 'Gerda Dreyer shelf' but that is yet to be confirmed.

Gerda loved to travel with Adi, most often to visit with her family in Germany that she held so dear. In her later years, Gerda and Adi travelled far and wide, some time with dear friends from First Baptist which provided her with a rich supply of happy memories. Gerda also sent correspondence far and wide, eschewing any advances in modern technology, Gerda wrote in longhand a seemingly endless stream of letters, notes and cards to friends and family all over the world. The positive impact of this simple act of caring over the years would be difficult to measure.

Near the end of her life, Gerda finally agreed to move out of her beloved home on Whalen Street, away from her dear neighbors of many years. Her last months spent at Glacier Ridge with her dear one Adi were happy ones. The staff at Glacier Ridge, and at St. Joes where Gerda spent her last few weeks, were unanimous in saying that in spite of difficult circumstances, Gerda remained a loving and generous soul until the end of her life.

The Dreyer family would like to thank the people of First Baptist in a manner words cannot fully convey. The love and care you have shown Gerda over the years is a shining example of what the church is supposed to be. We would also like to thank the exceptional staff at the Regional Hospital, Glacier Ridge and St. Joes, who have provided such wonderful care for Gerda.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, March 22, 2018 at 11:00 am in the Chapel of the Sargent & Son Funeral Home, 21 N. Court Street, with Pastors Betty and Len Hjalmarson. Interment in Riverside Cemetery. Visitation for family and friends will be held one hour prior to service time. On-line condolences may be made at www.sargentandson.com.

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