She was born on January 29, 1940, in Beacon Hill, a daughter of the late Frank and Katherine (LePine) Virtanen. Gert was raised in Tapiola and attended the Doelle School.

On February 18, 1956, she was united in marriage to John H. Fallon, the love of her life. The couple had resided in Hancock since that time and raised 10 children. On June 3, 2006, John preceded her in death, after 50 years of marriage together.

Gert devoted her life to raising her children. She also became very handy helping her husband manage rental properties. Gert could easily hang wallpaper, fix drywall, make some jam and cook dinner for the family in one day. Once the children were raised, she helped work the counter at her son’s store before working at the Foxy Lady in Houghton. She then co-managed the Hallmark store at the Copper Country Mall.

Mrs. Fallon was a devoted member of the Church of the Resurrection in Hancock, where she was active with the funeral lunch committee and the prayer shawl group. She enjoyed traveling with her husband, spending time at the family lake lot, reading, knitting, sewing, and working crossword puzzles.

Preceding her in death were her husband, John; her son, Greg; her parents; her brothers, Melvin and Francis; and her sisters, Aurelia Virtanen, Carol Kahkonen and Marilyn Kotila.

Surviving are her sons, John (Laura Koepel) Fallon of Morris, Illinois, Larry (Jill Rowe) Fallon of Dollar Bay, Patrick (Connie Morin) Fallon of Saginaw, Robert (Diane Czuprynko) Fallon of Addison, Illinois; her daughters, Monica (Steve) Fallon-LaRue of West Bend, Wisconsin, Michele Ultis of Morris, Illinois, Melissa (Jim) Raff of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Marcia (John) Bock of Ashville, North Carolina, Stephanie Fallon of Hancock; 27 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren; her sisters and brothers, Katherine (Tom) Nowak of Green, Michigan, Charles (Charlotte) Virtanen of Arkansas, Dolores (William) VanDeventer of Minnesota, Gerald Virtanen of Katy, Texas; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Gertrude will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, January 13, 2016, at the Church of the Resurrection in Hancock with Fr. Corbin Eddy to celebrate. Spring burial will be in the Forest Hill Cemetery of Houghton.

Friends may call on Tuesday, January 12, 2016, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Memorial Chapel Funeral Home of Hancock, where a Rosary will be recited at 7:45 p.m.

To view Gert’s obituary or to send condolences to the family, please visit memorialchapel.net

The Memorial Chapel & Plowe Funeral Homes are assisting the family with the arrangements.