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Albert Gelhausen
Al cut quite a figure in Janesville, Minnesota, arriving in his white 1955 Ford with the Hollywood muffler to marry Irma Marquardt — gregarious, funny, and with an infectious laugh.
Irmsch and Al in Oregon
Irma and Al visited Irma’s cousin Joel Nickel in Stayton, Oregon. That’s a gift bottle of Joel’s Nickel West wine.
Albert “Al” Gelhausen, 79, of Evanston, Illinois, formerly of Lapeer, Michigan, died Tuesday, April 30, 2013. He was born August 30, 1933, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, to parents Albert and Gerda (Behling) Gelhausen. He married Irma M. Marquardt on August 2, 1958. Mr. Gelhausen spent much of his career as a teacher in the Lutheran parochial schools, starting in Manistee, then helping found and serving as the first principal for St. Paul Lutheran School, Lapeer.
He completed his teaching career as a history and English teacher at Lutheran High East, in Harper Woods. He was a long-term member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Lapeer, and Trinity Lutheran Church, Davison. Al was active in the Lapeer community serving for years as a city planner and then as an elected official as a city commissioner from 1981 to 1990 and as the mayor of Lapeer from 1990 to 2002. He was active in the Michigan Association of Mayors, including a term as president. Mr. Gelhausen was a member of the Lapeer Lions and Lapeer Rotary Club. In his retirement from teaching, he ran the Mail Station shipping shop, in Lake Orion. He also continued to serve the Lapeer community as an election inspector and a volunteer for the Citizens Probationary Council. An avid gardener and kibbitzer, Al will be well-remembered for his great affinity for Lapeer, all things Michigan, and his painful puns.
Albert is survived by his children: Paul (Jenny) Gelhausen of Yorktown, Virginia; Kurt (Patti) Gelhausen of Evanston, Illinois; Anne (Christopher) Steffen of Westlake, Ohio. His grandchildren are Erik, Emily, Rebecca, Adeline, Max, Rachel, and Katie. He was preceded in death by his wife Irma Gelhausen, a son Marc, and his parents. Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. Friday at Muir Brothers Funeral Home, Lapeer. A memorial service will be 3 p.m. Saturday, May 4, 2013, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Lapeer, officiated by Rev. John Kaiser. Private burial will be in Mt. Hope Cemetery, Lapeer. Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to the Al and Irma Gelhausen Scholarship Fund, Alzheimer’s Association, or Michigan District Lutheran Schools.
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