Edes Hazel Gerwing

Edes Gerwing, 91-year-old resident of Little Falls, passed away on Monday, November 4 at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, MN. A funeral service will be held on Friday, November 15 at 11:30 A.M. at Emblom Brenny Funeral Service in Little Falls with Father Ben Kociemba officiating. The burial will be held in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Friday, November 15 from 10:30 A.M. until the hour of the service on Friday. 

Edes was born on December 24, 1932, in Austin, MN, the third of seven children, to Edward and Hazel (Dumbeck) Schmidt. She graduated from Little Falls High School in 1950. She worked in St. Paul until 1952. Edes married Wladyslaw (Walter) Napiorkowski and they lived in Chicago, IL. She worked at Montgomery Ward, until joining her husband in England. In 1954, they lived in Oklahoma where their first daughter was born. They moved back to Chicago where their second daughter was born. Edes and her family moved to St. Paul where Wladyslaw attended St. Thomas University and she worked at Strandy’s Bakery. While living in St. Paul, their son was born. Following Wladyslaw’s graduation, they moved to Las Vegas, NV, where he taught for 12 years. In 1974, Wladyslaw passed away, and Edes moved her family to Little Falls, MN. She married Herbert Gerwing on April 12, 1975. She worked at Lutheran Care Center for 20 years. Following her retirement, she helped make donuts at the senior center, enjoyed word puzzles, crocheting, and sewing. She loved spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was active with Christian Mothers, Healing Light Prayer Group, senior citizens and RSVP volunteers.

Edes is survived by her daughters, Elaine Armstrong and Gillian Napiorkowski, son, Walter Napiorkowski, grandchildren, Megan Lund-Schmitz, Alexander Armstrong, Anastasia Manley, Isaac Armstrong, great-grandchildren, Jasper Schmitz, Alder Manley, Willow Manley, Maple Manley, and Edes’s brother, Roger Schmidt.

Preceded in death by her parents, husbands, Wladyslaw and Herbert, daughter, Laura Napiorkowski, brothers, Delwin Schmidt, Avit Schmidt, Delbert Schmidt, sisters, Julia Zyvoloski and Bertille Kucera.

Emblom Brenny Funeral Service is Cherishing the Memory and Celebrating the Life of Edes.