It wasn't just the sweet smells of pastries and robust coffee that made you feel warm and cozy, like a worn-in sweater on a cold day. It was that familiar feeling you got from stepping in the front door of Gerda's Bakery. Hearing the distinct German accent of the woman behind the U-shape counter. It poured over you as you got that first whiff of glazed donuts and kolaches. It felt like going to grandma's house. It felt good.
On Wednesday night, the bakery's namesake, 83 year old Gerda Bailey, passed away after her years long battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Her daughter Kim Reefe tells NewsRadio 1110 KFAB that although her mother may be gone, the family wants her memory to live on through her beloved bakery. "The outreach from the community has been very heartwarming. Everyone feels compelled to come to the bakery and just let the employees know how much love them and how much they love Gerda and how they really hope that Gerda's lives on even though Gerda's not with us anymore."
For the last four decades, Gerda made sure everyone who walked in the door of her bakery knew they were welcome there. Reefe says that that welcoming nature will be missed by the throngs of customers Gerda served over the years. "It's over 42 years worth of memories that you just...you can't make this stuff up. My mom would be so proud and happy to see all of this activity."
Reefe says her mother's love and big heart went much further than just serving up pastries out of her little slice of the world on Leavenworth Street. "She's given a lot to this community whether it be through donations to churches or to sponsor little leagues or just be a grandparent to a family with kids that come in on a regular basis."
Gerda's road to Omaha wasn't easy, but it was well worth the bumps along the way. Reefe says her mother was born in Germany in 1935 and was dealt a difficult hand from the beginning. "Gerda grew up during World War II and survived a lot of hardship in Germany. Living through an orphanage, not knowing where her next meal came from." That strong willed young woman would eventually land in Omaha in the 1970's thanks to a marriage to a military man.
The marriage wouldn't last, but Gerda was determined to make a life here for herself and her three children. So Gerda did something many women at that time were unable to do. "To be able to come to the United States, during the 70's when you didn't see a lot of women getting business loans, to build that business up to where it is today...she is very proud of that. To do what she did, when she did it, in my opinion is a miracle."
As Gerda's health started to fail, Reefe says the family came together to make a decision about what would happen to the bakery once the matriarch was gone. "Gerda did some heartfelt thinking about it. Her requirements to us were, that if we want to move on and the family isn't capable of taking over, that her wish would be that whoever takes it on has the ability to keep the bakery as it is. She spent forty years building this bakery up."
Now, the family is searching for that person who can carry on the legacy of the strong-willed, generous German mother who carved out a path for herself. Reefe says they are ready to start fielding potential buyers to take over the bakery. "We're open to talking to anyone that's interested. Our landlord, who owns the building, is willing to work with anyone. He does have some future plans for that space, but that shouldn't hinder the right person from maintaining the location."
Funeral services for Gerda will be held on Tuesday, June 26th at 10:00 AM at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church.