Obituary of Margaret Mae Gerhartz

Margaret Mae Gerhartz, 80, of 125 Gerhartz Road, Palatine Bridge, died peacefully Wednesday morning with her family by her side. Born on November 23, 1925 she was the daughter of the late William Clark and Bessie Maria Smith Carpenter. She was a lifelong area resident, and attended rural schools, and the Canajoharie high school. Mrs. Gerhartz was a homemaker and helped run the family farm. In later years she worked for Arkell Hall in housekeeping retiring in 1977. Mrs. Gerhartz was very active in the Trinity Lutheran Church in various capacities. She was the 4th generation of her family to be involved with the church. She participated in the church council, the choir, and served as the Superintendent of Sunday school, and was also a teacher. She also was a member of the Ladies Aid, and taught Vacation bible school for over fifty years. She also liked to crochet and was an avid reader. Most of all, Mrs. Gerhartz was dedicated to her husband and her family. She cared for them and was the center of their lives. She also took on the task of caring for her son, Steven who was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. In her later years when she could no longer attend church, Mrs. Gerhartz began a ministry from her home. She would write cards and make many phone calls to the homebound. She was truly a remarkable woman, and will be deeply missed by all who knew her. On December 16, 1942, she was united in marriage to Bernard Willard Gerhartz. That union lasted 26 years until his passing on September 13, 1968. She was also predeceased by her son, Steven Willard Gerhartz; a brother, Ralph Carpenter; and a grandson, Travis Hodge. Her loving family includes her son, B. David Gerhartz and his wife Maggie; and a daughter, Robin Hodge and her husband William, all of Palatine Bridge, NY; two brothers, Charles Carpenter and David Carpenter and his wife Nancy, all of Ft. Plain, NY; six grandchildren, Michael, Michele, Wayne, Justin, Bethany and Jordan; and two great grandchildren, Heather and Jessie. Funeral services will be conducted on Saturday at 11a.m. at the Trinity Lutheran Church, Stone Arabia, with the Rev. Gail Wolling and Rev. Kenneth Dingman co-officiating. Burial will follow in the Ft. Plain Cemetery. Relatives and friends are invited to call from 4 until 7 at the Lenz & Betz Funeral Home, 69 Otsego Street, Canajoharie, NY, 13317. Memorial contributions in her memory may be made to the Trinity Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 238, Palatine Bridge, NY 13428 or the American Heart Association, 440 New Karner Road, Albany, NY 12205 or to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Albany Chapter, P.O. Box, 5877, Albany, NY 12205.