Vera Marie (Gilbertson) Chmela

In Loving Memory of

Vera Marie Chmela

Vera Chmela was born on April 27, 1921 in Chandler, Minnesota to Albin and Clara Schmidt Gilbertson.  She grew up on the family farm and graduated from Chandler High School in 1939. On September 4, 1940 she and Lester Chmela were married at her parents home near Chandler.  Following their marriage they farmed in partnership with Lester’s father until 1945 when they took over the family farm in Fenton Township, Murray County. In 1977 they retired but remained on the farm until 1985 when they moved to Slayton. Lester passed away on February 3, 2012.  In 2013 Vera became a resident of the Slayton Rehabilitation and Health Care Center where she passed away on Friday, April 19, 2019, at the age of 97. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Chandler until 2005 when the church closed and they joined Christ Lutheran Church in Slayton.

Survivors include her daughter, Joyce Carpenter and her husband, Ken of Rochester, MN, two grandsons, Eric Carpenter and Jennifer Robertson, and Ryan Carpenter and his wife, Megan, four great-grandchildren, Sophia, Ann, Amber and Logan Carpenter, sister-in-law, Ruth Gilbertson of Brainerd, MN and brother-in-law, Don Swart of Shakopee, MN.  She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, Lester, one son, Larry Chmela, and one sister, Loraine Swart and one brother, Donald Gilbertson.

Funeral Services

Christ Lutheran Church in Slayton, MN on Tuesday, April 23, 2019 with Rev. Grant Fischer officiating.  The organist is Nancy Lee Pierson with special music by Sheila Crowley.  The pallbearers are Virgil Halbur, Daryl Behrends, Tom Mesner, Curt Strampe, Bob Ossefort and Doran Christoffels, and Lee Hulstein.  Interment is at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, Chandler, MN.

Visitation will be one hour prior to the services at the church on Tuesday.  

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