Geraldine Decker

Geraldine Marie Louise (Yelken) Decker, daughter of Hippe and Dora (Steinkruger) Yelken, was born on August 30, 1924 at home on the Macon Prairie. She entered into eternal rest with her Creator and Redeemer on December 29, 2008 at the Golden Living Center in Franklin, Nebraska at the age of 84 years.

Geraldine was baptized in the Macon Methodist Church on September 25, 1924, and was confirmed in the Macon Methodist Church in 1938. She has been a life-long member of the Macon and Upland United Methodist Churches.

On May 8, 1947 Geraldine was united in marriage to Leonard (Bud) Leon Decker. The newlyweds made their first home on the Decker Farm, located north of Bloomington, Nebraska. This union was blessed with the birth of one son, Dennis and two daughters, Lana J. and Debra Ann.
The family later moved to Bloomington, Franklin, and Upland. Throughout her life, Geraldine was a devoted wife and mother. She truly loved gardening, cleaning, cooking, canning and cross-stitch. But the true passion of her life was her family. She treasured every moment she had to spend with any of them. After Bud's death, Geraldine moved to Franklin, where she worked in Garten's Grocery, Sindt Clothing, and at Franklin Motel and Grocery from which she retired.

For the past 8 years, Geraldine's health has been deteriorating. Her suffering, while maintaining her faith, was an inspiration to all people who knew her.

She was preceded in death by her parents, "Little" Hippe and Dora Yelken, her husband Bud, and one son, Dennis Decker.

She leaves to mourn her two daughters, Lana J. Sesna and future husband Jim Schoenrock of Broken Bow, Nebraska, and Debra and husband Kevin Slocum of Franklin, Nebraska; one daughter-in-law, Sarah Decker of Franklin, Nebraska; five grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, one sister, Wauneta Butler of Waco, Texas; a host of other relatives and good friends.

Memorials are suggested to the family.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, January 2, 2009 at the Hutchins Funeral Home Chapel in Franklin, Nebraska with Pastor Neil Kloppenborg officiating. Internment will be in the Bloomington Cemetery in Bloomington, Nebraska. Hutchins Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.