This is a portrait of John Grover Gergen (1892-1967) in 1952, dressed in a nice coat and tie. He was 60 years old at the time. He was born in Cherryvale, Kansas but had been living at Lamar, Colorado for 35 years, having arrived in 1918. He raised his seven children there. Grover and Aileen gave a copy of this picture to each of their children as a Christmas present. (Gergen-2011-1).

This is Aileen Macia Gates Gergen (1894-1984), wife of Grover pictured above. This was also taken in 1952. She was 58 years old. She was born in Springfield, Missouri and had married Grover in 1918 at Independence, Kansas. Grover and Aileen gave a copy of this picture to each of their children as a Christmas present. (Gergen-2011-2).

Aileen Gates Gergen’s brother was Dan Gates, who was the father of Curtis Gates (1916-1991). Curtis Gates, who changed his name to Ken Curtis, played the character of “Festus” in the TV Series “Gunsmoke” between 1962 and 1974. He replaced the character “Chester,” who was played by Dennis Weaver. So while Curtis “Festus” Gates was a nephew of Aileen and a first cousin to her children, and not a Gergen blood relation, nevertheless he is close enough to get a mention on our Gergen family web page. He still appears on re-runs. According to Wikipedia, he served in World War II, then went to Colorado College in Colorado Springs for a while, then in the late 1940s and early 1950s was part of a singing group, the “Sons of the Pioneers” and the Tommy Dorsey Band. In 1959 he began working on television. In his character as Festus, he used what was called the Colorado “dry land” accent. He was married three times and died on his ranch at Clovis, California. (festus.jpg).

This is a picture of Aileen and Grover Gergen together. They are on the left. On the right are Olie (Buck) Gergen(seated), who was Grover's brother and standing behind him, Ruby, who was Olie's second wife. (/un/gergen/gerg-jpg/gerg-14.jpg).

Alice Gertrude Gergen (b. 1913) married Donald W. Ranch in 1931.
Erwin Gates Gergen (1918-1918).
Coy Martin Gergen (b. 1919) married Margaret Gist in 1939.
Wayne Grover Gergen (b. 1922).
Jean Marie Gergen (b. 1923) married Everett R. Fuller in 1957.
Reva Orleen Gergen (b. 1926) married Kenneth Stephens in 1952.
Norma Dean Gergen (b. 1929), who married Mervin Mourning in 1948.

To the left is a 1984 picture of the six children of Grover and Aileen Gergen that lived to adulthood. This was taken at the First Christian Church in Lamar at the time that their mother, Aileen died. Left to right are: Norma Dean “Teg” (Gergen) Mourning (age 55), Jean Marie (Gergen) Fuller (age 61), Alice Gertrude “Toots” (Gergen) Ranch (age 71), Coy Martin Gergen (age 65), Reva Orleen (Gergen) Stephens (age 58) and Wayne Grover Gergen (age 62). They were all born and raised in Lamar, except for Alice, who was born in Cherryvale, Kansas, but raised mainly in Lamar. (Gergen-2011-3).

This is another 1984 picture taken at the First Christian Church in Lamar at the time of Aileen's death. In this picture are the six children of Grover and Aileen Gergen that lived to adulthood plus their spouses. Left to right are: Darold Ranch, Alice (Gergen) Ranch, Everett Fuller, Jean (Gergen) Fuller, Gale Mourning, Norma (Gergen) Mourning, Coy Gergen, Margaret (Gist) Gergen, Reva (Gergen) Stephens, Kenneth Stephens, Reva Gergen, Wayne Gergen. (Gergen-2011-4).

This is Jean Gergen and Everett Fuller as seen on their 2002 Christmas letter. Jean is the fifth child of Grover and Aileen Gergen. Jean grew up in Lamar, Colorado. She married first William C. Lacy and then Everett Fuller in 1957. (/un/gergen/gerg-jpg/gerg-7.jpg). Jean has four children. They are: Gerald “Jerry” Lacy (b. 1941) William E. Lacy (b. 1944) Danny Fuller (b. 1952) Randy Fuller (b. 1959)