Funeral services for Gertrude Mapes, age 86, of Elgin, ND will be at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 15, 2010, at the Hope Congregational Church in Elgin. Pastor Bill Bradley will officiate with burial in the Hope Congregational Cemetery in Elgin.


Mrs. Gertrude Mapes passed away Friday, April 30, 2010 at General Rose Hospital in Denver, CO.


Born in Elgin, ND on May 10, 1923, Gertrude Mae Jahraus was the eldest child of Ernest and Elsie (Roth) Jahraus. She attended Elgin schools, graduating in 1941 with the third highest average in a class of 35 students. She attended Dickinson State Teachers College and taught rural schools in different areas of North Dakota for ten years.


In 1944 she married Joe Gartner of Lark, ND. They farmed in the Lark area for a number of years before moving to Flasher, where Joe operated a dray line and Gertrude worked for the REA.


In 1957 they moved to Riverton, WY . Gertrude went to work for the US Postal Service in 1960 and retired as a postmaster in 1987, after 27 years of service.


Joe and Gertrude were divorced in 1969. Gertrude married Ethan Mapes in 1971. Following Ethan's death in 1986 and her retirement in 1987, Gertrude moved to Denver, CO in 1990 to be closer to her family. Although retired, she worked a number of temporary jobs to keep busy between her travels and other hobbies. With her sisters, daughters and sons in law, over the years she visited 44 of the 48 contiguous states and cruised to Alaska. She also visited Mexico, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Holland and England.


In 2002 Gertrude moved back to North Dakota, settling in Hebron for a few years, then moving to Glen Ullin. She finally came full circle in 2008, and moved back to Elgin and Dakota Hills Housing.


Her many interests included painting, collecting stamps, coins and other valuables, reading, history, music, politics, and football - especially the Denver Broncos.


She was preceded in death by an infant brother; her parents, Ernest and Elsie Jahraus; husbands Joe Gartner and Ethan Mapes; brother Darrold Jahraus; sister Diana Dietrich; and nephew Jeffrey Finseth.


Her survivors include daughters Patti Short of Dana Point, CA, Mary Kaye (Jim) Boomer of Denver, CO; one sister, Estelle Finseth of Rochester, MN; one sister in law Carol Jahraus of Midland, TX; 40 nieces and nephews, and several cousins.


In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Breast Cancer Research or children's charities in her name.


Visitation will be on Saturday, May 15 from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at the Hope Congregational Church in Elgin.