HILKE (GARRELS) UNVERFEHRT, age 80, of Luverne, died Monday, April 6, 2015, at the Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Home in Luverne. She was born May 2, 1934, on a farm near Little Rock, IA, to John and Aafke (Martens) Ohling. She learned to work outside on the farm milking cows with her father and work inside making bread & canning with her mother. Hilke spoke German in the home and learned English when she attended country school. She attended school until the eighth grade and in her 40's earned her GED. She met Marvin Garrels at the Roller Skating Rink, which was a popular youth gathering spot. They were married September 15, 1953.
Hilke & Marvin moved to a farm near Marshall, but after twelve hard years of crop failures due to drought or hail, they sold the farm and moved to Luverne in 1966. Luverne allowed them the opportunity to enjoy many family gatherings including holidays & birthdays.
She enjoyed raising her children, decorating, camping, vacations and living in Arizona in her retirement years. After moving to Luverne, she held a few jobs in town but her favorite was driving school bus for seventeen years. She loved greeting the kids on the bus and watching them mature.
Hilke and Marvin always talked about traveling the United States together in a camper when they retired. They sold their home, settled in a fifth wheel camper but before they left Marvin was diagnosed with cancer. Hilke was a widow at the age of 53.
Hilke sold watches at Flea Markets to make ends meet until she met & married Alvin Unverfehrt on March 29, 1997. Hilke and Al took many trips while living in Arizona for six months; and Hoffman, IL for six months.
The family thanks the caring staff at the Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Home, in Luverne, for all the attention they gave Hilke.
She   is survived by her husband, Alvin Unverfehrt, Mesa, AZ; three children, Myron (Kathy) Garrels, Sioux Falls, SD; Sharon (Russell) Sauer, Detroit Lakes; and Melvin (Becky) Garrels, Hutchinson; eight grandchildren, Michelle (Fiancée, Sam) Garrels, Ryan Garrels, Kami (fiancée, Jerrod) Garrels, Nicholas Sauer, Forrest (Krystle) Sauer, Alane (Dan) Korf, Matthew Garrels & Christopher Garrels; one great granddaughter, Lydia Korf; three step-sons, Carl, Gene & Mark, all from St. Louis, MO; two brothers, Egbert (Darlene) Ohling, George, IA; and Paul (Eleanor) Ohling, George, IA; and two sisters, Gerda (Charlie) Jansen, Luverne; and Pauline Ailts, Luverne.
She was preceded in death by her parents, first husband, Marvin Garrels, on March 31, 1988; two brothers-in-law, Harm De Boer & Harley Ailts; and a step-daughter, Judy Palm.
Funeral service will be Saturday at 1 pm, officiated by Rev. Gary Klatt, with visitation one hour prior to the service, at the Dingmann Funeral Home in Luverne. Burial will be at the Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne.
To view an online obituary, or order flowers please visit dingmannandsons.com

---