Erna Gaskamp

Funeral services for Erna Heckmann Gaskamp, 88, widow of Gilbert R. Gaskamp, are scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Friday, August 30 at St. Paul''s Evangelical Lutheran Church, with Pastors Phil Fenton and Kindlee Lund officiating. Burial will follow in Prairie Lea Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Thursday, August 29 at Memorial Oaks Chapel. Mrs. Gaskamp passed away August 26, 2013 in College Station Medical Center. Erna Gaskamp was born June 4, 1925 in the Sandy Hill Community of Washington County to Willie and Henrietta Fischer Heckmann. She was both baptized and confirmed at St. Matthew Lutheran Church of Sandy Hill, and attended area schools. On July 10, 1949, she married Gilbert R. Gaskamp, also at St. Matthew Lutheran Church. She lovingly cared for her family as a homemaker. Along with her family, Erna was a faithful member of St. Paul''s Lutheran Church of Brenham. Mrs. Gaskamp loved gardening, especially her flowers. She could break off a branch, stick it in the ground, and make it grow. She enjoyed living at Kruse Memorial Lutheran Village in Brenham, where she made so many friends. Survivors include two daughters and a son-in-law, Joyce Schaer of Bryan and Janice and Fred Crawford of Brenham; grandchildren, Phillip Hadley of Brenham, Joshua and Lauren Hadley of New Braunfels, Jason Schaer of College Station, Michael Schaer of Bryan, and Cindy and Cesar Garay of Conroe; great-grandaughter, Gabi Garay of Conroe; brother-in-law, Vernon Gaskamp of Brenham; sisters-in-law, Olivia Gaskamp of Brenham and Laura Heckmann of Georgetown; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. Erna was preceded in death by her husband, Gilbert Gaskamp; her parents; a son and daughter who died in infancy; brother, Raymond Heckmann; and son-in-law, Bill Schaer. Serving as pallbearers are Jason Schaer, Michael Schaer, Joshua Hadley, Cesar Garay, Brian Gaskamp, Bruce Gaskamp, Randy Heckmann and Larry Hehman. Honorary pallbearer is Phillip Hadley. Memorials may be directed to St. Paul''s Lutheran Church of Brenham Funeral arrangements for Erna Heckmann Gaskamp are entrusted to Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 W. Main St., Brenham. To view the obituary online, visit www.memorialoakschapel.com.