Gerry Menchinger

Geraldine “Gerry” Menchinger, 71, of Benton Harbor, went to meet her Lord & Savior on Thursday, August 19, 2004 at her home with her loving family at her side. Gerry was born October 8, 1932 in Benton Harbor to Herbert & Irma (Walker) Kettlehut. She grew up in Granger, Indiana & St. Joseph, graduating from St. Joseph High School in 1950. She worked at G. C. Murphy?s in downtown St. Joseph and various other stores before her 1954 marriage to Leonard Menchinger. On June 27, 2004, they celebrated fifty years of marriage. Gerry worked at V-M Corporation & Ross Carrier Company in Benton Harbor before starting her family: son Andy & daughters Cindy & Susan. She delivered the South Bend Tribune in the Twin Cities for five years, and was a Girl Scout Brownie troop leader when her daughters were young. In 1969 Gerry and her husband founded Graphic Services Company where she worked as the office manager until her retirement in 1997. Gerry loved gardening and the outdoors in general. She was a member of the Fairplain Garden Club during the 1980’s. She was an avid bowler in the ladies league at Blossom Lanes and has many trophies to her credit. Gerry was a long-time member and past president of the Benton Harbor Lianas Club. Active in the First Church of God in St. Joseph, she was a member of the Women of the Church of God, serving as President for over twenty years and an officer at the state level for several years. Before suffering a stroke in 1998 and later losing her eyesight to diabetes, she loved to drive her grandchildren around in “Grandma?s Taxi.” A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11:00 A.M. Tuesday at the First Church of God, 2627 Niles Ave., St. Joseph with Rev. Robert Confer & Rev. Robert Moss officiating. Burial will follow at Hickory Bluff Cemetery in Stevensville. Friends may call Monday from 5-8 P.M. at Kerley-Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Memorials may be made to Women of the Church of God or Hospice at Home. Those wishing to share a memory or sign the guest book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Gerry is survived by her husband Leonard; her children-Andy (Sonya) Menchinger, Cindy (Dave) Bennitt, Susan (Michael) Roemer-Schmalbach; seven grandchildren-Erik and Aaron Menchinger, Jeremy, Kali and Melissa Bennitt, Sammy and Emily Roemer; two brothers-Marvin (Jean) Kettlehut and Herb (Jan) Kettlehut, both of Florida; sisters-in-law Erilynne (David) Decker of Atlanta, Georgia, Marilynne (Eugene) Schroeder of Sodus, Bev (Jim) Costigan of Benton Harbor; two aunts, one uncle, several cousins, many nieces and nephews and very special friends Rev. Cecil & Geneva Baldwin. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Robert Kettlehut, her sister Iris Harboldt, and a grandson, Andrew Karl Menchinger. A loving, faithful, dedicated Wife, Mother and Grandmother; she will be greatly missed by her family and many friends.