Martel, Gerda Maria (Freund) Age 101, of Minneapolis, watched her last "I Love Lucy" show on 11/14/17. Gerda was born in Berlin, Germany, the only child of Susette Liepmannssohn Freund and Cinematographer/Director Karl W. Freund. At the age of 21, she was forced out of her beloved homeland. Her mother was left behind in Berlin and subsequently murdered in the Bernburg "euthanasia" facility. Gerda eventually, moved to Los Angeles, married her boyfriend, Ernst Egon, who had escaped to Cuba. She worked much of her life as a bilingual secretary in Chicago where the family lived while she raised three children. After her divorce, in her 60's she became an exchange "student" in Mexico to learn Spanish. She then moved to Tenerife (Canary Islands) where she resided for over 20 years. After the tragic loss of her daughter, Diane, she moved into the Kenwood Isles Condominiums where she lived for almost 13 years. She could often be seen walking her cat "Snooky" up and down Hennepin Avenue in his special stroller. Preceded in death by her daughter, Diane Downey, ex-husband, Ernest Martel. Survived by her sons, Rod (Colleen) and Les (Abby Adis) Martel, Grandchildren, William, Joseph (Samantha), Michaela and Jenny, Step-Grandchildren, Charity, Sarah (Stephen), Jacob (Larissa) and Kristie (Lee) and great-grandchildren Natali, Liv, Laine, Mae, Elsa, River. Special thanks to all the amazing caregivers who enabled her to maintain her quality of life in her condo and the staff at Roitenberg (Hodroff Memory Care), during her last days. A memorial service will held on Sunday November 19, 2017 at Temple Israel, 2324 Emerson Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN at 2 P.M.