Obituaries : Gretchen Gladys Kullmer

Gretchen Gladys Kullmer was born on Dec. 4, 1932, in Independence, Iowa, the first born to Edward Thedens and Ruth Schmidt Thedens. She was promoted to her heavenly home on May 21, 2024, at Allen Hospital in Waterloo after a brief illness. She spent her growing up years in Jesup and attended the First Presbyterian Church with her family and on Rally Day, September 1942, she gave her heart and life to Jesus. She spent her entire life living that out to those around her. She graduated from Jesup in 1950 and went on to Iowa State Teacher's College in Cedar Falls and graduated from there in 1952 with her teaching degree. She taught many local students in Mt. Auburn and La Porte City. We often hear from former students that she was their very favorite teacher. In her first year of teaching in LPC, while playing the piano for the music contest students, she caught the eye of a handsome senior named Jim Kullmer, who told all his friends he was going to marry that girl. And so he did on May 29, 1955, in Jesup. They were happily married for 67 years until his death in 2022. He was the love of her life! In 1963 she left the school room to become a full-time farm wife, who worked alongside Jim, from working hogs to driving tractors, she jumped in and did whatever needed to be done. She was an excellent cook and could sew or knit anything. They lived in the local LPC area their whole lives and retired from active farm life in 1999. Her retirement years were filled with cooking for the family, making quilts, and knitting hats for area school kids. She is survived by a daughter, Sheri (Jeff) Lesh, La Porte City; son, James (Traci) Kullmer, Oelwein; a brother Richard Thedens, Rowley; a sister-in-law, Grace Kullmer, Jesup; six granddaughters, Sara (Shane) Klein, La Porte City; Stacey (William) Borrenpohl, La Motte; Stephanie (Reid) Carlson, La Porte City; Sally Carruthers, Chattanooga, TN; Katie Kullmer, Keystone; and Ashley Kullmer, Cedar Rapids; and 15 great-grandchildren, Gabe, Lizzie, Cora, and Sam Klein, Clayton, Ellie, Lance, and Anita Borrenpohl, Emma, Jack, Matt and Kate Anne Carlson, and Evie, Charlotte, and Gretchen Carruthers. Gretchen was preceded in death by her parents; two sons, Dave James Kullmer and Kris James Kullmer; a brother-in-law, Keith Kullmer, Jr., and sister-in-law, Lois Thedens. Private family service will be Wednesday, May 29, at Locke in La Porte City with burial following at West View Cemetery. Memorials may be given to the Cedar Falls Bible Conference, NE Iowa Food Bank, or the Salvation Army. She is in her heavenly home today because of the Lord's promises. Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? John 11:25-26