Geraldine M. “Jeri” Childers was born July 21, 1937, in Elgin to Gerald and Julia Zegers. She passed away on December 7, 2024 surrounded by love and family.
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Jeri loved to share that she had 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren whose energy she could nearly match.
Never one to sit still, she always had projects and interests throughout her 87 years. She loved to golf, play Pinochle and Bridge, throw parties, sew, renovate homes, and was a professional wallpaper hanger with her friend Jane. It is, therefore, no wonder that she was good at puzzles too. Jeri claims she became ambidextrous as a young farm girl because when one hand got tired, she just switched to the other!
She enjoyed going to plays and musicals and her favorite was “The Sound of Music”. While her children attended St. Cecilia’s and Cathedral schools, Jeri was an active member in the parish and along with her late husband, Wayne, helped to get Bingo and the Cathedral Octoberfest started. We will miss her sparkle, her advice, and her boundless energy.
Jeri is survived by her children: Karen Klausner, Val (Jeff) Lennard, Paul (Patt), Nancy (Dean) Dobmeier and John (Pam); eleven grandchildren; thirteen great-grandchildren; siblings, Gayle (Judy) Zegers and Judy (Late Jack) Ortmeyer.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Wayne; sons, Kurt (Sharon) and David; grandson, Jeremiah.
