DOVER - Gerda Birchum, age 79 died on Tuesday, June 3, 2014 at her home. Before she got married, she was an elementary school teacher and language teacher in Holland and Spain. In her spare time, she loved to sew, go country line dancing, and spend time with her cats. She is the daughter of the late Willem Hoeven and Marie Krijgsman Hoeven, preceded in death by her brother, Wim; and sister, Reina; and her husband, Carl Birchum, Jr. in 1998. She is survived by her three daughters, Shirin Skovronski of Bear, Audrey Ormberg and her husband William Vota of College Station, Texas and Anne-Marie Skjærvø and her husband Torstein Skjærvø of Trondheim, Norway; and by one granddaughter, Dawn Skovronski. A memorial service will take place 2 p.m., Monday, June 23, 2014 at Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Bear. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Delaware Humane Association or the Delaware SPCA.