Pearl was born October 21, 1919, to Ole and Ella (Vigdahl) Evjen in Turtle Lake, ND. She was baptized in Turtle Lake and confirmed in the Homme Lutheran Church in SD. She attended school in Turtle Lake and Underwood, ND.

In 1935, she moved to SD with her parents to her uncle's farm south of Prairie City. She stayed home to help her parents and several neighbor ladies. In the spring of 1937 she began working for the Quaal family. She worked there for 6 years.

She met Harry Gerbracht in 1939. He left to go into military service in 1942. After he left she went to Bison and worked in the Jackson Café.

Harry returned home in November of 1945. They were married January 11, 1946. They bought a farm south of Prairie City where they farmed and raised cattle and sheep. Pearl enjoyed camping, playing cards, dancing, and sewing. She was a member of the Immanuel Lutheran Church of Zeona, the American Legion Auxiliary of Bison, SD, and the Hand and Hands Extension Club for 55 years. She also taught Sunday school and Bible school in Zeona. They moved to Rapid City in 2008.

Pearl Irene Gerbracht, 97, Rapid City and formerly of the Prairie City area, passed away Monday, January 10, 2017, at Rapid City Regional Hospital.

She is survived by her husband of 71 years, Harry, Rapid City; two daughters, Luella (Richard) Robinson, San Antonio, TX, and Betty (Robert) Petersen, North Platte, NE; three grandchildren, Kelly (Patrick) Smith, San Antonio, TX, Julie (Jason) Mueller, Lincoln, NE, and Jeremy Petersen, North Platte, NE; four great-grandchildren, Shelby and Dylan Smith, San Antonio, TX, and Adam and Gage Mueller, Lincoln, NE; brother-in-law, George (Margaret) Gerbracht; and two sisters-in-law, Mary Skogen and Eva Creighton.

She was preceded in death by her parents; five brothers, Oben, Leonard, Earl, Lloyd, and Orville Evjen; sisters, Eletha Fylling, Berneice Falck, and Freda Malloy; two sisters-in-law, Ida (Findley) Creighton and Alice Mae (Harold) Milner; and one brother-in-law, Mike Gerbracht.

Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Monday at the Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis.

Funeral services will be Tuesday, January 17, 2017, at 11:00 p.m. at Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis with Pastor Marcia Brennan officiating. Burial will follow at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.

A memorial has been established to the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Zeona.

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