Gale Lyn Jeffery

Gale Lyn Jeffery was born on November 25, 1950, in Benton Harbor, to Frederick (“Pete”) and Marjorie (Sempert) Jeffery. She passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, November 9, 2014. She was 63. She graduated from St. Joseph Senior High School in 1969 and attended Lake Michigan College. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11 A.M. on Thursday, November 13, at Starks & Menchinger Chapel and Cremation Service, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph with Rev. Wade Panse officiating. Friends may visit from 5 P.M. until 8 P.M. on Wednesday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Humane Society of Southwest Michigan. Those wishing to share a memory of Gale may do so online at www.starks-menchinger.com. Gale was an avid reader, with a collection of over a thousand books, and a wonderful trading network of family and friends. She enjoyed some knitting and lots of crocheting – with a legacy of cozy afghans and beautiful baby blankets left in her wake. Growing up in a “bowling family,” she rolled with it and currently enjoyed the fun and friends as part of the Wild Life Seniors at Kelley’s Bowl. Her cooking and baking skills were widely known and cherished. She had a treat for every occasion and something yummy accompanied every “Thank you!” Her scalloped potatoes and ham, deviled eggs, and cheesecakes will be especially missed. She loved animals and occasionally helped out with her sister’s pet sitting service. She enjoyed traveling to Disney with her family over the last few years, too. Early in her adult life, Gale worked for Hallmark in Fairplain Plaza, which helped ease/enable her book addiction. In the Jeffery tradition, Gale then worked at Tosi’s for about 35 years, helping with prep work, making salads and desserts, and whatever else was needed. She is predeceased by her father and mother, her brother, Larry (“Big LJ”) Jeffery, and her nephew, Don Kroening. She is survived by her younger sister, Sherie Jeffery, her “sister” Paula Reynolds, and her sister-in-law Jane (Mutz) Jeffery, her niece Tami (Tom) Hasse, great-nephews Tyler and Tanner Hasse, niece Cathi (Kroening) Howard and great-nephew William Howard, and nephew Karl (Paula) Kroening and great-niece Miranda Kroening, and niece, Jennifer (Jeffery) (husband Phillip) Quack, and great-nephews Brenden and Ian Quack, and great-niece, Larra Quack.