Gloria J. Gegner, age 98, of Morgan, MN, passed away on Friday, August 28, 2026, at Gil-Mor Manor Nursing Home in Morgan, MN. Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, September 10, 2026, at Bethany Lutheran Church in rural Morgan, with burial to follow in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 9, 2026 at Bethany Lutheran Church in rural Morgan, MN and will continue for one hour prior to her service from 10 a.m. until 11a.m. at the church. The Nelson-Hillestad Funeral and Cremation Services of Morgan is in charge of the arrangements.
Gloria J. Gegner was born on September 27, 1927 in Morgan, Minnesota to Niels and Martha (Andersen) Schou and grew up surrounded by family, faith, friends and music. Gloria attended country school near Gillfillan Minnesota and graduated from Morgan High School in 1945. After high school she attended Rogers-Bennet Beauty School in Minneapolis and worked as a beautician at shops in Redwood Falls and Marshall. She was a lifelong advocate for a good haircut or hairdo, and it was never far from her mind, nor was she afraid to give styling guidance. On October 17, 1950, Gloria was united in marriage to Frederick W. (Fritz) Gegner at a ceremony in Bethany Lutheran Church in Morgan. The couple farmed land nearby for over 40 years while raising a family and taking care of the land they both loved. The couple retired and moved into the city of Morgan in 1991, but that did not end their relationship with the church they both loved. Gloria loved her music and everyone who knew her appreciated her immense talent at the piano and organ. As a church organist and piano player at Bethany for over 50 years, many generations of members were blessed with her gifts during services, weddings, funerals and many special occasions. Her gifts to the church also included service as a Sunday and bible school teacher and numerous committees as well as offices within the Women’s Evangelical Lutheran Churches of America organization. Whenever some gathering required “a little lunch” she was always there with a pan of bars. Gloria was a member of the New Horizons club and the Gil-Mor manor auxiliary where she continued to utilize her talents by playing piano at Gil-Mor while she resided at Gil Haven assisted living center, before transferring into the nursing home. Her hobbies included baking, embroidery, puzzles, cooking, entertaining, playing piano and watching the Minnesota Timberwolves. Player stats and averages were right there ready to be discussed with enthusiasm. Gloria’s marriage to the love of her life was one of her most treasured gifts, with a relationship that lasted for 54 years. Their devotion for each other served as an example for her family and friends. This was a life well lived, with precious time spent with her family and generally celebrating her time on this earth. She loved nothing better than a good party. As a lifelong member of Bethany Lutheran Church, there was never a good reason to miss church and her faith family. Her life touched so many people that it would be impossible to list them all. To many, she will simply be remembered as the “real life version of the energizer bunny.”
Gloria is survived by her daughter, Darla (Brian) Sams of Redwood Falls and son-in-law Rex Welter of Morgan, daughter-in-law Pauly Gegner of Redwood Falls and daughter-in-law Kim (Joe) Scanlon of Mendota Heights, 11 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren and 6 great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Fritz, her sons Randall and Kevin, daughter Bonnie Welter, grandsons Cody Sams and Nathan Gegner and brother Aage.
