Geraldine F Axmark

GERALDINE FRANCES “Gerry” AXMARK May 17, 1924 – April 11, 2017                   Geraldine Frances “Gerry” Axmark, age 92 of Park Rapids, MN, formerly of Minneapolis, MN, peacefully entered eternal glory on Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at the Green Pine Acres Nursing Home in Menahga, MN surrounded by her loved ones.                 Gerry was born on May 17, 1924 in Minneapolis, MN to Biff and Hattie (Peach) Smith.  She attended grade school and junior high in Mpls., until the late 1930’s when her family moved to Le Sueur, MN where she attended high school.  As a student, Gerry participated on the women’s bowling team.  Her sharpshooting abilities did not go unnoticed as she sought a spot on the men’s high school rifle marksmanship team and beat out a number of young men to gain a coveted spot on the men’s team.  Gerry graduated with the Class of 1942.  As a young woman, she gained employment working for the Green Giant Canning Company in Le Sueur for a number of years.  On October 25, 1947, Gerry was united in marriage to Roger Axmark, a young man she had known since she was a young girl as their families were very close and they spent much time hunting and fishing together.  The young couple made their home in Minneapolis and were blessed with two children: Michael and Linda.  Gerry devoted herself to making a warm and loving home for her husband and children.  She was a wonderful cook and baker who will be long remembered for her delicious homemade apple pies and pineapple upside down cakes.  She was blessed with the gift of hospitality and loved to open up her home to family and friends; especially visiting missionaries who were home on furlough.  In 1953, she began working for the Honeywell Corporation in a career that spanned over 31 years.  She climbed the corporate ladder to the esteemed position of the National Suggestions Supervisor and earned numerous awards for “Excellence of Performance.” Following their retirements in 1984, they fulfilled their longtime dream of moving to Upper Bottle Lake north of Park Rapids, MN to the home they had invested many weekends in building themselves over a period of eight years.  Gerry came to know Christ as her personal savior at the age of nine, the same day that her father, “Biff,” a former sparring partner with Jack Dempsey, accepted Christ into his life.  As a young person and as an adult, she ministered alongside her dad and other family members in sharing the life changing message of Jesus Christ.  Throughout her life, Gerry followed Christ in obedience and loved to teach Sunday School. She served as pianist for the church, played trumpet in the band and participated in numerous short term mission opportunities.  She was a long-time member of the River Lake Gospel Tabernacle in Minneapolis and later the Faithbridge Church in Park Rapids where she served on the missions board and assisted her husband in leading the Sunday School prayer group.  Gerry also enjoyed serving as a member of the Gideon’s Auxiliary and supported young people along with her husband Roger, by offering a scholarship to attend Christian colleges each year. She loved to travel with Roger and they were blessed to visit Australia, New Zealand, The British Isles, Israel, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Japan and Alaska.  She loved spending time out in God’s beautiful creation and especially enjoyed fishing, hunting and camping with her family….even in the wilds of Alaska.  She and Roger enjoyed taking canoe trips up into the BWCA and she especially enjoyed one trip where it was just the two of them portaging into remote wilderness lakes where they didn’t see another human being until returning to civilization two weeks later. She loved working out in her gardens and especially enjoyed raising beautiful flowers into colorful splendor for all to enjoy.  Gerry loved spending as much time with her family as she could and she was known by her grandchildren to be a savvy board game player who always played to win!  Above all, Gerry will be remembered for her deep love for her Savior and her family who have appreciated the power and protection of her prayers throughout her lifetime.                 Gerry will be lovingly remembered by her devoted husband for these past 69 years, Roger of Park Rapids; her son, Dr. Michael (Barbara) Axmark of Rockford, IL; her daughter, Linda (Mark) Remiger of Park Rapids; her four precious grandchildren: Jason (Blanca) Remiger of Shakopee, MN, Jennifer (Nathan) Eda of Ypsilanti, MI, Scott Axmark of Kankakee, IL and Sgt. Major Bethany (Daniel) Noll of the US Marines Corps stationed at Camp Lejuene, NC; three great granddaughters: Malaya, Leilana and Asha; a sister-in-law, Vivian (Charles) Mayes of Texas and brother-in-law, Daniel (Dawn) Axmark of Owatonna, MN; as well as a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.  Gerry was preceded in death by her parents and one brother-in-law, Vern Axmark.