Gervase "Jerry" Erkens

November 14, 1930 - October 18, 2020

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., Friday, October 23, 2020 at Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church in Rockville, MN for Gervase “Jerry” Erkens, age 89, who died Sunday at Assumption Home in Cold Spring. Burial will be in the Calvary Cemetery, Rockville. Everyone attending the visitation or service must wear a mask and maintain social distancing. Visitation will begin in the church at 9:00 a.m. on Friday morning. Jerry was born on November 14, 1930 in Roscoe, MN to Bernard and Eleanor (Kascht) Erkens. He married Marie C. Dingmann on September 11, 1957 in St. Anthony Catholic Church, St. Cloud. Jerry was the founder of Erkens Water Softener Service. He was very involved in the church choir, religious education and as a communion minister. Jerry enjoyed good food and traveling and visiting family and friends. In his retirement one of the things he enjoyed was tutoring the first graders at Cold Spring Elementary. Survivors include his wife, Marie; children, Don (Becky), Laurie (Steve) Opatz, Joe (Suzanne), Jim (Lynn); 7 grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren; siblings, Clarence (Teresa), Eugene (Betty), Sister Lydia, O.S.B., Richard (Dianne), Cyril (Darlene) and Victor (Sandra). He was preceded in death by his niece, Jennifer Erkens and sister-in-law, Delphine Erkens. The family wishes to thank the staff at Assumption Home and St. Croix Hospice for the wonderful care given to Jerry.