Gertrude A. “Gertie” O’Brian, 88, of Hudson, died Saturday, October 10, 2009 at the Cedar Valley Hospice Home of cancer.

She was born August 20, 1921 on a farm southeast of Quasqueton in Buchanan County, Iowa, the daughter of Leon and Alena (Anson) Van Tasell. She graduated from Rowley High School in May of 1939.

Gertie married Richard G. O’Brian April 20, 1946 at the Little Brown Church in Nashua. He died July 29, 1999. She and Richard farmed until 1961 when they moved to Hudson. She worked at K Mart for 17 years retiring in 1984 and was a member of Community Church of Hudson.

Her hobbies included crocheting, quilting; she made quilts for the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown. She and Richard traveled a lot in the U.S. and enjoyed taking one-day trips in Iowa.

Gertie is survived by 2 sons: Russell and his wife Celeste of Hudson and Dean and his wife Paula of Topeka, Kansas, and a daughter Donna Braatz of Waterloo. She is also survived by 2 grandchildren: Lorelei and Julianne, 7 step grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren: Joshua, Karli, Ashley, Logan, and Dylan, 20 step great grandchildren, 11 step great great grandchildren, and brother Carl and his wife Eleanor Van Tasell of Independence.

She is preceded in death by her sister.