Barbara Gerhold

Barbara Frances Gerhold, 88, died peacefully at home on Monday, January 12, 2015. A philanthropic leader in our community, Barbara, together with her husband William, contributed actively to numerous non-profit and local organizations throughout her lifetime.

Born on September 21, 1926 to Homer and Zelda Maurer in Spencer, Iowa, Barbara attended Greenville Consolidated School and graduated from the Villa Marie Academy in Frontinac, Minnesota in 1944. She also attended St. Joseph's College of Nursing in Sioux City, Iowa where she met her future husband, William J. Gerhold. Her schooling laid the groundwork for a lifelong commitment to Catholic education. Married on June 27, 1945 in Spencer, Iowa the couple moved to Columbus in 1947.

Barbara participated in various organizations such as Cub Scouts, Brownies, Blood Mobile and Meals on Wheels. A member of St. Bonaventure Church, she served on the United Catholic Social Services Board in Omaha and on the advisory board of the Catholic Charities Columbus office.

Barbara's philanthropic contributions include the Teacher of the Year award for excellence in the Columbus Catholic school system and sustaining support to Scotus Central Catholic. Of special personal interest to her was the sponsorship of a student at St. Augustine's Indian Mission in Winnebago. She also enthusiastically provided for the education of two Catholic seminarians and contributed scholarship funding for nursing students at Columbus Community Hospital.

A generous and supportive member of our community, Barbara was also a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother of ten. She is survived by her daughter Anne Marie (Michael) McCoy of Grand Island, NE, and her children: Benjamin (Margaret) Brown, Milwaukee, WI; Dr. Nicholas (Stephanie) Brown, Wichita, KA; Joshua (Tori) Brown, Kansas City, Mo; Casey (Devin) Tarrant, Wichita, KA; Michael (Julie) McCoy, Hutchinson, KA; her son Dr. John Patrick (Kathryn) Gerhold of Cherry Hills Village, CO and their children: Emily (Brent) Gehrmann, Englewood, CO, and Elizabeth (Daniel) Brauer, Dallas, TX. Barbaras surviving brother, William C. Maurer, resides in Spencer, Iowa.

Barbara Gerhold lived a life of dedication to her family, friends, church and community. Her many acts of kindness and grace touched the lives of all who had the fortune to know and love her.