Nellie Gertrude, the twelfth child of Daniel and Marie Koch, was born in 1901 on the farm SE of Beloit. She attended Beloit schools, graduating from BHS in 1920 and later from Emporia and Pittsburg State Colleges. She was a teacher for 30 years. Gertrude loved children and, possibly because she was the youngest Aunt and unmarried at the time, her nieces and nephews thought her very special. She enjoyed sharing her adventures, funny or otherwise, of being a kindergarten teacher.

On Nov. 4,1948, Gertrude married Earle Byrne Markham in the First Presbyterian Church in Independence, KS. Earle and Gertrude were very happy in their marriage and had bought a home in Independence. Earle had retired from working with Sinclair Oil Co. and they were prepared to enjoy retirement when Gertrude suffered a stroke in Sept. 1966 and lay in a coma for 5 1/2 months before she died on Feb. 15, 1967.

Obituary from Beloit, Kansas paper:
Mrs. Earle B. Markham, 65, died at 2:15 Wed. Feb 15 1967 at Mercy Hospital, Independence, Ks. She had been in failing health the past 5 1/2 months. Gertrude Koch was born Sept. 12, 190l at Beloit, Ks., the daughter of Daniel and Anna Marie Koch. She graduated from Beloit High School and Emporia State College, later from the Pittsburg State College. She held a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Science degree. After high school graduation she taught from 1920-21 in Jewell County. In 1921, she began teaching in Simpson and taught in that position until 1925, when she went to Independence, Ks . She taught there from 1925-50. In the last few years of her teaching career, she taught kindergarten at the Washington school. November 4, 1948 she was married to Earle B. Markham in the First Presbyterian Church, Independence. Mrs. Markham was a member of the Kansas State Teachers Association, the P.E.O., the First Presbyterian Church of Independence and Presbyterian Guild. Survivors include her husband and six sisters, all from and around the Beloit area: Mrs. Fred Hodler, Mrs. Lee Vetter, Mrs. Lester Birch, Mrs. Robert Metcalf, Mrs. Norman Wehl, and Mrs. George Berneking. She was preceded in death by two sisters and her parents. Funeral services were held Saturday, Feb 18, at 2 p.m. at the Potts Funeral home Chapel, Independence, Ks with Rev Donald Burt officiating. Interment in Mount Hope Cemetery. Relatives attending; Mr. and Mrs. Lee Vetter, Mrs. Clara Wehl, Mrs. Owen Moore, Don Vetter, Wybern Berneking, Wayne Berneking, Mr. and Mrs. Arlyn Simmons, Mrs. Gerald Bassford, Mr. and Mrs. Lester Birch, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Metcalf and Marianne Metcalf.