Erna Jayne Burke, 83, of Fort Dodge, died Thursday, August 26, 2010 at the Fort Dodge Villa Care Center.
Services will be 11:00 a.m. on Monday, August 30, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church with the Rev. Allen Henderson officiating. Interment will be in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Rockwell City. The visitation is from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. today at the Gunderson Funeral Home & Cremation Services. Memorials may be directed to the Women of St. Paul's Lutheran Church.
Erna is survived by her children, Charlene (Robert) Smith, Prescott Valley, Ariz.; Jon Burke, Fort Dodge; Scott (Kelly) Burke, Waukee; Jolene Thompson, Urbandale; and James (Karen) Burke, Lincoln, Neb.; eight grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and a brother William (Edith) Bahls, Sun City, Ariz. She was preceded in death by her husband Elmer in 1980, and a brother Carl Bahls.
Erna Jayne Bahls, the daughter of August and Laura Adele (Rickels) Bahls, was born April 27, 1927, in the family home located in Calhoun County. She attended Immanuel Lutheran Schools and graduated from Rockwell City High School. In June, 1949, Erna was united in marriage to Elmer Burke. Erna was employed with businesses in Rockwell City and Fort Dodge in their accounting and bookkeeping departments. Erna retired in 1987 from Land O' Lakes after more than 30 years of service to the company in the sales and marketing department.
Erna was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church and was active with women's groups in the church.
