Germaine "Gerri" Denner

Germaine "Gerri" Denner age 82 of New Hampton, IA, died Thursday, March 3, 2022, at New Hampton Nursing & Rehabilitation Center. Friends may greet the family from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. on Monday, March 7, 2022, at Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory in New Hampton where there will be an 8:00 p.m. parish scripture service led by Rev. Brian Dellaert. Burial will be at a later date at St. Luke's Catholic Cemetery in St. Lucas, IA. Gerri was born on January 25, 1940, to John Sr. and Catherine (Huber) Foreman in Fort Atkinson. The oldest of the Foreman’s 14 children, Gerri grew up on a farm near St. Lucas, where she helped her parents with chores on the farm but, more importantly, was her mother’s “right hand.” In many ways, Gerri helped raise her younger siblings. She received her education at St. Luke’s Catholic School, graduating in 1957, and she was an outstanding shortstop for the St. Lucas Saints, who were coached by her father. After high school, she worked as a nurse’s aide in New Hampton before she married John Denner on April 4, 1959. The couple had five children – Tim, who was born on his parents’ first anniversary, Jan, Terry, Dave, and Denise — and farmed near Lawler for many years before they were divorced. The Denner kids had a mother who loved her five children with all of her heart. She was their fiercest advocate and their No. 1 protector and supporter — attending their school events and never missing any of her sons’ football games. She worked hard on the farm — doing everything from tending to a large garden to picking rock — and her children will always remember their mom’s beautiful voice. Gerri loved to sing and she enjoyed going “down home” to St. Lucas to visit her parents and siblings. Gerri was a longtime, active member of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church, where she sang in the church choir and helped with funeral luncheons for many years. Throughout her life, even after battling health issues like MS, she remained a very positive, kind, and beautiful soul, and she was blessed with 14 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. Late in life, one of her favorite songs that she would sing was “You Are My Sunshine,” one that in many ways epitomized her life because she always put others first. In short, Gerri always was “making a difference” in the lives of those she loved and those who cared for her, and she will be greatly missed. Gerri is survived by three sons, Tim (Karen) Denner of Lawler, IA, Terry (Teri) Denner of Fredericksburg, IA, Dave (Linda) Denner of New Hampton, IA; two daughters, Jan (Dave) Meirick of Phoenix, AZ, Denise (Mike) Webster of New Hampton, IA; fourteen grandchildren; nineteen great-grandchildren with two on the way; twelve siblings, Joe Foreman of Rosemount, MN, Dorothy Gargaro of Minneapolis, MN, Kathy (Roger) Bulgren of Northfield, MN, Arene (Dale) Dougherty of Decorah, IA, John V (Betty) Foremen of St. Lucas, IA, Jim (Carmen) Foreman of Apple Valley, MN, Mary Lee (Craig) Allen of Independence, IA, Marilyn (Loren) Manderfield of St. Lucas, IA; Shirley (Rick) Robinson of Tulsa, OK, Carol (Karl) McVea of Mustang, OK, Betty Foreman of San Francisco, CA, Duane Foreman, Rosemount, MN, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; one brother, Ken Foreman; sisters-in-law, Pam Foreman, Kristie Foreman; brother-in-law, John Gargaro; two grandchildren in infancy, Jenna Denner and Christian Meirick.