Yong Ja Gerlach, age 85 of Bottineau, passed away on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 at a Bottineau hospital. A graveside service will be held on Friday, July 17, 2026 at 10:00 am at the St. Mark's Catholic Cemetery in Bottineau.

Yong Ja Yim was born on November 11, 1940 in Japan. Her family lived in Japan due to her father’s job. She had a large family of four brothers and four sisters. They boarded a ship in her early childhood and moved back to Korea where she lived until she met her husband.

Yong Ja met Joe Gerlach while waitressing at a restaurant a mile off the military base in Korea, in 1967.

Joe and Yong Ja married in 1970 at the US Embassy in Korea. Joe worked in Japan for a while after their marriage and Yong Ja joined him in Japan for about 6 months before their return to the United States. They later divorced in 2001.

Yong Ja was a barmaid at Kersten’s Bar for almost 25 years! Some say she never forgot your drink, even if you hadn’t been in for years!

Yong Ja was a big part of the VFW Auxiliary, formerly Ladies Auxiliary. A support organization for Veterans of Foreign Wars.

She liked to make quilts with extravagant roses, knit and crotchet on her spare time.

In recent years, she worked at the Bottineau Courant. Making many friends and stuffing the inserts into the papers.

She was a devout Catholic and sat in the same spot in church for many years.

Yong Ja is survived by Joe Gerlach, her brother in law, Charles Gerlach, and her nephews Shawn, Shannon, Christopher, Craig, Darin, Dana, Troy, and her nieces, Tonya and Amber.

Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.