Edgar John Rudy Gerken, 88, of Cole Camp, MO, died Monday, April 8, 2019, at the Good Samaritan Care Center, Cole Camp. He was born on September 26, 1930, on the family farm near Mora, Missouri, to Lewis Edwin and Maggie (Miesner) Gerken.

He was baptized at Brauersville Lutheran Church and was confirmed on July 9, 1944, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Cole Camp. After Edgar graduated 8th grade from Mora School, he continued to help on the family farm until the age of 19, when he was drafted into the US Army. After completing basic training at Fort Sill, OK, he stepped onto a ship headed to Korea, where he spent the next two years. Upon returning from Korea, he met his future wife, Josephine, at a birthday party for Charlie Kast.

On September 29, 1957, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, by Pastor Elmer Kuhlman, he was united in marriage to Josephine Edith Stedronsky.

Edgar was a farmer his entire life and had worked at Howard Scrap. He then worked for more than 30 years at Pittsburgh Corning in Sedalia, Missouri, retiring in 1992. He was a long-time member of the United Lutheran Church in Cole Camp, as well as, the American Legion Post No. 10 and VFW Post of Lake Andes, American Legion Post No. 305 and German Club of Cole Camp, and German-American Citizens Association of Kansas City.

He is survived by his four sisters-in-law, Alice Morris, Elaine Wood, Lois Stedronsky and Margaret Stedronsky; a brother-in-law, Wayne Stedronsky; nieces, Mary Ann, Patty, Beverly, Linda, Janice, Susan, Cheryl, April, Teri and Jo; and nephews, Bruce, Paul, Mark, and David.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Edwin and Maggie Gerken, wife, Josephine Gerken on March 1, 2013, sister and brother-in-law, Olga and Robert Green, brothers and sisters-in-law, Arthur and Lois Gerken and Elmer and Helen June Gerken, brothers-in-law, Wayne, Russell, John, Raymond and Robert Stedronsky, nephew, Kenneth "Butch" Gerken, and niece, Lynn Sue Matuska.

Funeral services were held at Friday, April 12, Fox Funeral Home, Cole Camp with Pastor Marvin Stuenkel officiating. Committal services was held Monday, April 15, Lakeview Cemetery, Lake Andes, with military honors.

Arrangements by Fox Funeral Home, Cole Camp, Missouri.