Gertrude F Wolschon

Gertrude (Gert.) Wolschon passed away on March 24, 2018, at the age of 98. She was born November 5, 1919, in Chicago, Illinois and raised in Detroit, Michigan. She married Bernard J. Wolschon, the love of her life, in 1937 and they lived in Detroit where they raised three children. Gert. was a homemaker until 1956 when she began working at J. L. Hudson's as a salesperson and later the Kroger Co. where she worked as an executive secretary for 8 zone managers. In 1985, she, her husband and Elizabeth DuPage (her 90-year-old mother) moved to Las Cruces, NM to be closer to their daughter. They all loved Las Cruces and adapted very well to the climate. After the passing of her husband and mother, Elizabeth DuPage, Gert. found something new and different to do. She became a housemother for Chi Omega Sorority on the New Mexico State Campus. She loved living with 26 young women and was often invited to their functions on campus. It certainly did help keep her young! When she retired at 80 years of age, she began volunteering with AARP chapter, 1230 in Las Cruces. She served in all officer positions in that organization and attended numerous state conventions. She also volunteered at the Kraft Nook located at Munson Center for many years. She was an avid bowler and participated in local, state and national tournaments. She has numerous memorabilia for high games shot and displayed them proudly. She was a communicant of Holy Cross Catholic Church and volunteered as a money counter there. In 2013, Gert. moved to Good Samaritan and never looked back. She mastered the TV monitor displaying all the activities and kept a calendar of the various activities. She participated in everything that was offered, including water aerobics, Scrabble, Bingo, Friday Movies, Saturday morning breakfast, shopping at WalMart and anything else that she might find. She couldn't find anyone to play cribbage though, so she started her own group, meeting in her apartment every Thursday evening. She religiously called all the players to remind them on Thursday mornings so they wouldn't forget. She loved jigsaw puzzles and if not in her apartment, it was a good guess you'd find her working away at one with the other puzzlers. She'd often say, "I have so many friends here it's really wonderful." She loved living at Good Samaritan and one day, in the elevator, she broke out in song, singing "Good Sam is the place for me, it's the only place to be!" while swinging her leg out in chorus girl fashion. Everyone that came to visit had to have the grand tour of the facility. She was so proud to live there and wanted to share it with everyone. She'd take them around, if they could keep up with her, to every nook and cranny she frequented. After her last hospital stay, when she arrived back at Good Samaritan Rehab and she was put into bed, with her huge smile on her face she said, "I'm finally home." Simply being on campus gave her a great sense of security and peacefulness. Gert, is survived by her three children, Ronald of Las Cruces, Dennis of Mesa, AZ and Jan Escalante (late husband, Ray) of Las Cruces, two granddaughters, Debra Laux and husband, Jeff of Frankenmuth, Michigan and Cheryl King and husband, Mike of Armada, Michigan. She is also survived by five great-grandchildren, Olivia Howard and husband Evan, Elizabeth and Erich Laux and Zachary and Ben King all of Michigan. She has a great, great-grandson on the way. Two sisters-in-law survive her as well as 14 nieces and nephews. She also leaves a number of wonderful friends which her family truly appreciates for their devotion to her. A Celebration of her Life will be held "at her home" in the auditorium at Good Samaritan on Wednesday, April 11, 2018, at 1 PM, with a mass held in the Good Samaritan Chapel on Saturday, April 14, 2018, at 10:45 AM. The family requests no flowers but rather, donations in her name to Mesilla Valley Hospice or Good Samaritan Society of Las Cruces.