Geertz, Wendy

Wendy Geertz, 65, of Central City died Thursday, Aug. 29, 2013, at Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina, Minn.

She was born June 28, 1948, in Evanston, Ill., to William and Lois Geertz and raised in Des Plaines, Ill., near Chicago. She married Jon Derflinger on June 29, 2004, in Cedar Rapids.

She was a graduate of Maine West High School, Des Plaines, Ill., and Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa.

After receiving her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Iowa, Wendy practiced law with the Legal Services Corporation of Iowa in Des Moines, Council Bluffs and Fort Dodge, and with the Mears Law Office in Iowa City. She then taught paralegal studies at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids for 20 years until her retirement in 2008.

Wendy is survived by her brother, John (Nancy) Geertz-Larson of Bloomington, Minn.; her sister, Kathryn (Robert) Schopp of Marshfield, Wis.; her sister-in-law, Mary Jungerman of Boulder, Colo.; her stepson, Joseph Derflinger of Cedar Rapids and his two children, Jon Jason and Abigail; two nieces, Lois Geertz of Eugene, Ore., and Clara Geertz of Santa Fe, N.M.; three nephews, Michael Grider (Jennifer Bohlke) of Minneapolis, William Geertz-Larson of Bloomington, Minn., and Peter Geertz-Larson of Tacoma, Wash.; an aunt, Esther Zeiss of Lombard, Ill.; an uncle, Donald (Mary) Ernst of Henry, Ill.; and 19 cousins.

She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and her brother, Richard Geertz.

Services are to be held at Central City United Church of Christ, 38 North Fifth St., Central City, at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, with the Rev. Vicki Engelmann officiating. Interment at Jordan's Grove Cemetery near Central City will follow the Oct. 5 service.

Memorials may be sent to Central City United Church of Christ, P.O. Box 238, Central City, IA 52214.

Arrangements by Washburn-McReavy, Edina, Minn., (952) 920-3996.

Please write about Wendy at http://www.washburnmcreavy.com/obituaries/Wendy-Geertz.

Published Sept. 8, 2013 in The Gazette