Geraldine "Jerry" Peck
Help us celebrate Geraldine "Jerry"! Please share your stories and photos, and invite others who remember Geraldine "Jerry".
Geraldine "Jerry" Peck was born into eternal life on March 24, 2022 at Sienna Crest in Marshall. Jerry was born on March 15, 1923 the daughter of Carl and Elsie (Kriedeman)Schimelpfenig, the youngest of four girls. Jerry graduated from Lake Mills High School with the Class of 1940. She married Norman "Mike" Peck on April 23, 1941 at the Marshall Methodist Church. Norman passed away in 2004.
After raising three children, Jerry worked for 43 years with her husband Mike at the business he founded in 1952, Modern Plumbing and Heating, and later PMC Trucking and Excavating with their son, Mike. Her duties included secretary, bookkeeper, receptionist, and occasional pipe cutter.
Jerry's wisdom for living a long life was "keep moving"! Through the years she enjoyed polka dancing, biking many miles on country roads, walking 5 miles a day, and finally exercising at the Prairie Athletic Club warm water therapy pool for 33 years. She loved traveling with friends on bus tours to Arizona, Florida, California, and Myrtle Beach. Trips with Scott Lopez of the Hartford radio station along with Brian and the Mississippi Dutchmen to Hawaii, Las Vegas, Switzerland, and many polka fests were the highlight of her travel adventures. She also loved playing euchre and bingo, using 12 bingo cards at a time! She loved cooking family meals and baking cookies to share with friends and neighbors. The most rewarding part of her life was spent with her family and friends.
Jerry was a good and faithful servant as a 71 year member of the Marshall United Methodist Church. She served the congregation as treasurer, on the Board of Directors, and president of the Ever Ready Circle for over 50 years. Jerry shared a wonderful card ministry sending birthday and anniversary cards to members of her church. She was a 50 year member of the Royal Neighbors of America in Marshall until it disbanded in 1997. She organized a yearly bus trip from 1962-1996 to various cities within a day's drive with members and friends, always with Bob Lazers driving the bus. The seats were always filled as Jerry made sure it was a good time, and fun was had by all!
Besides her church community, Jerry volunteered for many other groups in Marshall. Since Mike was a member of the Marshall Fire Department, Jerry volunteered for all the festival parades, worked in the bingo stand, and was often the top seller of raffle tickets for the firemen. In 1998 she was honored as the Parade Marshal for the Firemen's Festival Parade. She helped out at the Marshall ELC listening to young readers, putting the school newsletter together, and working at the Marshall PTA's Winter Carnival for several years. She also helped at the Thanksgiving Senior Citizen Meal every year that was organized by the local churches.
Jerry is survived by her three children, Pat Baumgardt of Dayton, OH, Mike Peck of Lewistown, MT, and Gini Frey of Marshall; four grandchildren, Kent Baumgardt of Muncie, IN, Erin Baumgardt (Reece Esham) of Muncie, IN, Jon (Karen) Frey of Evansville, and Ryan Frey of Marshall; 3 great grandsons, Gavin, Blake, and Collin Frey of Evansville; sister-in-law Marjorie Peck of Minocqua; daughter-in-law Vickie Vick Peck of Marshall; son-in-law Larry Frey of Harshaw, WI; special family friend Dave Pederson, Marshall. She was also preceded in death by her parents; three sisters Leona Will, Doris Engsberg, Lucille Wilke; son-in-law Ray Baumgardt.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, March 28, 2022 at the Marshall United Methodist Church in Marshall.
Burial will be in the Medina Cemetery.
Friends may call from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday at the Marshall United Methodist Church, and also after 10 a.m. on Monday at the church until the time of service.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Marshall United Methodist Church, The Marshall Scholarship Foundation, the Marshall Fire Department, or Agrace Hospice.
www.claussenfuneralhome.com