Alice Marie Gehrke, 90, of Brookings, SD went to her heavenly home on Feb. 9, 2026.
Alice was born on April 17, 1935 in Linn, KS, the daughter of Otto and Hilda Bisping. Alice grew up on a farm and thoroughly loved driving tractors, throwing haybales and caring for livestock. All of her life, she was proud to exclaim, “I’m a strong Kansas farm girl,” and whenever she went back for a visit, she had to roll around in the dirt on her land to remember her roots! She attended the country Lutheran elementary school and graduated from Linn High School.
She attended Kansas State University, where she met the love of her life, Henry. They were married on Aug.19, 1956, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Linn and were blessed with four children: Stevin, Bruce, Karl and Katherine.
She graduated from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK, in 1958 with a degree in Elementary Education. In 1964, they moved to Brookings, SD. After being a stay-at-home mom for many years, Alice attended South Dakota State University and earned her Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling in 1974. She worked for SDSU for 20 years, primarily with the Continuing Nursing Education department. She ran numerous continuous education programs, most notably, the Rural Nurses Continuing Ed program, and wrote many department grant proposals. She was awarded the SDSU Distinguished Alumni Award for Outstanding Service to South Dakota in 1998. She retired as an Assistant Professor of Nursing in 1998.
She was a lifelong member of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and had been a member of Mt. Calvary Lutheran church in Brookings since 1964; she was particularly active in the choir and the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML).
Alice was a dedicated wife, mother, and grandmother. She found great satisfaction in working outdoors and caring for her family. Alice was known for her numerous amazing flower gardens, large vegetable gardens and in the winter, for shoveling snow bright and early in the morning, well into her 80s. She spent many hours in the kitchen cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner for her children and grandchildren — no one was allowed to go hungry! Her grandchildren loved spending time with her outside and in the kitchen, learning the value of hard work, kindness and serving others with an exuberant positive attitude.
She is survived by her husband of nearly 70 years, Henry, Brookings; children Stevin (Kathy), Lawrence, KS; Bruce (Jackie), Parkville, MO; Karl, Sioux Falls, SD; Katherine (Mark), Lenexa, KS; and grandchildren Matthew, Thomas (Bekah), Marie (Kyle), Lucas (Caroline), Aaron (Laura), Samuel (Katelyn), Alison, Sarah, Leah; great-grandchildren Parker, Maia, Brooke, Isla; and sister, Gladys Stone, brother, Neil (Harriet) Bisping and many beloved nieces and nephews.
Alice was preceded in death by her parents Otto and Hilda Bisping, her sister Edna Brinkmann and husband Otto; brother Don and wife Dorian and brother-in-law Leonard Stone.
A funeral service and committal was held at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Linn, KS on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 11a.m.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, Brookings, SD and the South Dakota State University Alumni Association and may be left in care of Eidsness Funeral Home.
Condolences may be sent to the family through www.eidsnessfuneralhome.com.
Leave a Reply