Germaine Marie Purdum, 94, of Fremont, Nebraska, formerly of Malcom passed away on Saturday morning, January 11, 2020 at Dunklau Gardens in Fremont, Nebraska. A graveside service will be held at 11:00 am Monday, January 20, 2020 at the Jackson Township Cemetery in Montezuma with a luncheon to follow at the Montezuma United Methodist Church. A procession will form at 10:45 am Monday to go to the cemetery. A Mass of a Christian Burial will be held at the St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Fremont, Nebraska on Friday with a visitation held Thursday evening at the Dugan Funeral Chapel in Fremont, Nebraska. Holland-Coble Funeral Homes is in charge of local arrangements.

Germaine, daughter of Remi Arthur and Celina Marie (DeClercq) Schinckel was born in the Brooklyn, area on March 1 ^st , 1925. Germaine was a lifelong member of St. Patrick Church in Brooklyn and a member of the Altar and Rosary Society. She attended country school in Scott Township, and graduated from Montezuma Community High School. Following graduation Germaine worked for a time at the Montezuma State Bank, and then in the Poweshiek County Recorder's Office.

Don and Germaine Purdum were married at St. Patrick Church on June 14 (Flag Day), 1947, and celebrated 66 years of marriage before Don's passing in 2013.

The couple lived briefly in Des Moines where Don was a mechanic at a private airfield. Germaine attended comptometer school and worked for a downtown business in the Liberty Building. Processing payroll for the candy concessions of the Blank movie theater chain was among her responsibilities.

The couple returned to the Montezuma area in 1949 to pursue farming. They purchased the ancestral Schinckel family farm in 1967. Germaine worked by Don's side until the couple retired from farming in the 1980's.

Germaine is survived by son Neal Purdum of Cedar Rapids; daughter Jean (Leo) Hanson of Fremont, Nebraska; grandson Eric (Julie) Hanson of Scribner, Nebraska; granddaughter Celina (Chuck) Kucera of Fremont, Nebraska; great-grandchildren Paige and Brynn Hanson; Carlee, Cassidy, and Callan Kucera; step-great-grandchildren Kenzi and Bradyn Tschirren, many family members, and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, brothers and sisters-in-law.

The family would like to thank staff at Dunklau Gardens for the care and love they showed Germaine, and to Hospice for their care and compassion.