Geraldine Pearl (Kirsch) Hepola

Geraldine (Gerry) Pearl Hepola, 92, died peacefully on June 18, 2023, under the care of Hospice in Stillwater, MN.

Geraldine was born December 24, 1930 in Huntersville Township (Wadena County, MN) to John Van Fleet Kirsch and Florence Gertrude Reyman. She was raised in Sebeka, MN, and graduated with the class of 1949. After graduation, she moved to Minneapolis and was employed as a key punch operator at Munsingwear and Kickernick. She and her girlfriends would take the streetcar from Lake Harriet to downtown Minneapolis, and would hitchhike back to Sebeka for special events.

Geraldine married Marvin (Marv) V. Hepola on July 19, 1952, at the Apostolic Lutheran Church in Sebeka. This union was blessed with six children. Early in their marriage, they lived in San Luis Obispo, CA where Marv was stationed in the Army. They returned to Sebeka in 1953 to join the family farm while Marv completed his studies at the University of Minnesota. Marv and Gerry spent two years in Wisconsin before returning to Sebeka and joining State Farm Insurance. They moved to Detroit Lakes in 1973.  After retiring in 2002, they moved to Park Rapids. Marv passed away in 2015, and Gerry moved to the Villas of Oak Park Heights in 2017.  

Gerry was a woman of faith and a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Stillwater. Her family and friends loved her sense of humor and quick wit. She was a good golfer, bowler, card player, and gardener. She and Marv loved to dance, travel, and host friends and neighbors for happy hour. Gerry enjoyed working outside: mowing the lawn and running the snowblower well into her 80’s. She enjoyed watching Minnesota sports, especially the MN Vikings. When game days fell on a Sunday, she would proudly wear her Vikings #19 jersey to church.

Geraldine was preceded in death by her husband Marvin, her parents and siblings Lucille, Dorothy, Helen, Ruthe, Darlene and Eldon. She is survived by her children: Ron (Beth) of Detroit Lakes, MN, Bill (Barb) of Falls Church, VA, David (Andrea) of Park Rapids, MN, Jayne (Pete) Thielen of Detroit Lakes, MN, Jim (Lisa) of Canfield, OH, and Jan (Mary) of Hudson, WI; 10 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

All are welcome to join the family for a memorial service at 1:00 PM on August 19, 2023, at Mantyla Cemetery, 13365 308th St, Sebeka, MN 56477.  Following the service, coffee and bars will be served at the Sebeka Event Center, 100 Frontage Rd, Sebeka, MN 56477.