Luella Sophia Gander, 91, passed away peacefully Wednesday, July 6, 2022, at Chosen Valley Care Center in Chatfield, MN.

Lou was born August 9, 1930, to Charles and Esther (Westendorf) Tiedemann, in Hyde Park Township, Wabasha County, MN. At the age of 13, she moved to Rochester, MN. She lived in a rooming house and worked at Woolworths and for a doctor and his family in SW Rochester. Her older brother, Ervin, would walk her home after her day of attending high school and working. Her family was proud when she became the only sibling to graduate from high school. She received her diploma from Rochester High School in 1948.

On April 26, 1949 she married William "Bill" Gander in Rochester, MN. He passed away July 20, 2010. They lived in Dubuque, Waterloo & Humboldt Iowa, Paducah, Kentucky and Rochester, MN while Bill worked for various plumbing contractors. He opened his own plumbing business in 1962 in Rochester, MN. She was devoted to raising their children and homemaking while the business grew. Any extra free time was spent sewing, dancing with her husband, playing cards, spending time with family and friends and church on Sunday. In retirement, they enjoyed traveling and time with grandchildren and great grandchildren. After Bill passed away, she volunteered at the Gift of Life. In September 2021, she moved to the Waters at Mayowood.

She will missed by her three sons, Bob (Linda) Gander, Jim (Lisa) Gander, John (Cathy Sullivan) Gander of Rochester, MN; her daughters, Mary Kipp of Rochester, MN and Deanna (Sean) Tupper of Mazeppa, MN; her 11 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, several nieces and nephews and her special friend Paul Fitzpatrick of Rochester, MN. She was preceded in death by her husband, and infant son, Wayne, her parents, three brothers, Don Tiedemann, Ervin Tiedemann, Robert Tiedemann and one sister, Hazel Freiheit.

The memorial service for Luella "Lou" Sophia Gander will be at 11:00 am on Wednesday, July 13, 2022, at River Park Chapel, Macken Funeral Home, in Rochester, MN. Visitation will be one hour before the service. A private burial will be in Gethsemane Cemetery in Lansing, Iowa at a late date.