Mavis Gelner Obituary

MAVIS GELNER
March 14, 1938 - June 15, 2020
Mavis Gelner passed away June 15, 2020 at home with her family by her side.
Mavis was born Mavis Eileen Trullinger to Ragnetta (Ragna) Trullinger (Jorgenson) and Roy Willard Trullinger Sr. She was born in the Norwegian village of Hanska, MN on March 14, 1938. She was the fourth of eight children. Her father farmed in southern and central MN. When she was thirteen, her father bought a service station in Madelia, MN and she lived there until she graduated from Madelia High School in 1956. She then worked as a bookkeeper in St. James, MN where she met Victor Gelner. They married on November 30, 1957. They then moved to St. Paul, MN. Victor joined the United States Army and they lived in Colorado Springs, CO, Honolulu, HI, Chicago, IL, Fayetteville, NC, Indianapolis, IN, Madelia, MN (while Vic was in Vietnam), Ft. Wayne, IN, Pittsburg, KS, Taipei, Taiwan, Indianapolis, IN again, Dale City, VA, Colorado Springs, CO again, El Paso, TX, Naples, Italy, Wiesbaden, Germany, and back to Colorado Springs for the third and final time. They travelled and camped in many countries in Europe and Hong Kong. Mom was the best mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother ever. Many times she raised us kids by herself while dad was on assignments. She was an assistant Girl Scout and Brownie leader for Jody and Barb. She taught Sunday school at the Cloverdale Lutheran Church in Dale City. She was always an animal lover. She loved dogs, birds, and also her flowers and plants. She had her black lamb Fairy when she was a kid on the farm that she loved very much. Mavis was a very good bowler (with many scores around 250-280), and bowled on many teams in the U.S., Taiwan, Italy, and Germany. She was usually the team captain (only because she knew how to keep score she said). She was the Financial Secretary at Resurrection Lutheran Church for many years and Treasurer of the Altar Guild. She belonged to Young at Heart and the Newcomers Club. She also volunteered for many years at Immanuel Lutheran Church/School making braille Bibles for the blind.
Mavis and Vic loved travelling the U.S. in their motorhome. They were snowbirds in Alamo, TX at the Alamo Rose RV Park, where they had many friends and were joined in the winters by Mavis' sister Charlotte and husband John Malo.
She was preceded in death by her parents, in-laws Victor and Agnes Gelner (Forest City, IA), brothers Ronald Trullinger (New Underwood, SD), Roy Trullinger Jr., (Hanover, MN), sister Bonita Byro (Madelia, MN), and just a few days ago by younger brother Gerald (Jerry) Trullinger (Redwood Falls, MN), brothers-in-law Don Dahlager (Plymouth, MN), Irvin Byro (Madelia, MN), Robert Gelner (Rudd, IA), and Larry Gelner (Charles City, IA).
She is survived by her husband Victor, son Timothy, daughters Jody (Ray), and Barbara, beloved only grandchild Robyn Gelner Heins (Chuck), and great-grandchildren Cadynce Campbell, Camryn, and Hunter Heins of Ault, CO; sisters Darla Dahlager (Plymouth, MN), Charlotte (John) Malo (Fairmont, MN), brother Steven (Mina) Trullinger (Honolulu, HI); sisters-in-law Remelda Gelner (Mason City, IA), Donna Gelner (Charles City, IA), Esther Trullinger (New Underwood, SD), Shirley Trullinger (Hanover, MN), Linda Trullinger (Redwood Falls,MN); plus many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
We are heartbroken to lose my dad's precious wife and our precious mother. She was the heart of our family and will be so deeply and forever missed.
A viewing is scheduled for 2:00 PM, Friday, June 19, 2020 at Resurrection Lutheran Church (4444 Moonbeam Dr.) and funeral service will begin at 3:00 PM.