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Oct. 21, 2011

Banking on Burck; 80-year-old teller has no retirement plans

FARGO – Gertrude Burck turns 80 Friday and she has no plans to retire anytime soon.

“I’m taking it day by day. We’ll see what happens,” Burck said. “If the good Lord allows me to work longer, then I’ll work.”

Burck has been in the banking industry since 1949, except for about 10 years when she took some time off to stay home with her children.

She’s a part-time teller at State Bank & Trust on South University Drive in Fargo, where she has worked for the past 19 years.

“State Bank has been very good to me for taking a chance and hiring me at my age and allowing me to still continue working,” Burck said.

State Bank considers Burck to be an asset.

“It’s so special to have veteran employees on-staff who can not only share the history of how banking has evolved, but also teach the younger people life lessons,” said Brenda Messerschmidt, the bank’s branch manager. “We have 20-year-olds to Gert at this location, so for her to share information and stories is pretty remarkable.”

Burck has certainly seen a lot of changes in the industry and she has adapted to them.

“She is an inspiration,” Messerschmidt said. “In the banking world, it’s ever-changing. Not just with compliance and regulation, but with technology as well, and Gert takes it all in stride and she accepts every challenge that comes her way with a can-do attitude.

Burck continues to work for something to do and because she likes her customers and coworkers.

On a recent morning, she stopped by another teller’s window to chat with the customer waiting there.

They talked about their children and asked after each other’s families.

“Such a big part of banking is getting to know your customers,” said Messerschmidt. “Since Gert has been here for 19 years, she has built a lot of friendships with our customers.”

Since moving to Fargo 20 years ago, life hasn’t been easy for Burck.

She has dealt with a host of medical problems, including breast cancer, which required a mastectomy, a heart attack, replacing both knees, and most recently, a diabetes diagnoses.

But she hasn’t let her health concerns get her down.

“You just have to have faith and go with that,” Burck said. “It’s just another struggle through life.”

Burck, originally from Washburn, N.D., has lived all over when her husband, George, who was in the Navy, was stationed in different places.

Her husband was killed in a car accident 35 years ago when her oldest child was 21 and her youngest was seven.

“Life goes on, what can you do?” she said. “I was lucky I was working at the time.”

Burck never remarried.

“I was too busy raising my family,” she said.

She has three sons, one daughter, and seven grandchildren.

As for Friday, Burck said she has no big birthday plans.