Geraldine "Gerry" Mayhew's Obituary
Geraldine “Gerry” Elsie Mayhew of St. Clair, died at home after a long illness on November 15, 2022. She was born April 26, 1936 in Columbus, Michigan to the late Earl and Cecelia Block. She was married to Ralph Charles Mayhew II in 1952. He died May 31, 2019.
Geraldine loved her family, those near and far, very much and was proud of all of them. She lived as an amazing example of unconditional love and encouragement to her family. She gave of her time (and gladly put miles on her car) taking her children and grandchildren to music lessons, other activities, and attending many concerts, hockey games, and also babysitting and visiting them as they grew up. She spent countless hours at her sewing machine making clothes, teddy bears, and crocheting blankets for her family. She sewed lap blankets for patients at River District Hospital. Her home had an open-door policy allowing grandchildren to breeze in whenever they needed a place to land for even the simple reason of boredom. She was always welcoming, would cook up some good food, and had a fun project, gadget to learn about, or craft to do.
Most importantly in Geraldine’s life, she prayed. She prayed for all her family that they each would come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their savior, so that one day we could all be together again in Heaven. She attended church in St. Clair, all her life. She always encouraged family members to “Make sure you have the Lord in your heart.”
As a child, Geraldine attended the “Pink” one-room school house in Columbus and later graduated from St. Clair High School. She was known throughout the area for her beautiful singing voice. She began her lifelong hobby of singing with her sisters when they were young. She sang soprano and was a member of the St. Clair Hymn Singers, St. Clair Community Singers, and other choirs, and served as a coordinator for the choirs throughout her adult life until 2013. She also played piano, organ, violin, and accordion. Even in her later years she was willing to try something new and took on the role of a singing nun in the play “The Sound of Music” put on by the St Clair Theater Guild in 2005. She was a skilled homemaker who cooked, baked and, along with her husband, would grow a large garden and preserve their own food every year.
Geraldine was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph, her brother, Earl Block and sister, Juanita Dandron. She is survived by her loving sisters Carol Patterson, Bertha Dandron, Georgie Kettlehut, her devoted caregiver and oldest son, Daniel Mayhew, son Richard (Jody) Mayhew, son David (Rebecca) Mayhew, son Ralph Mayhew III (Colista), and daughter Nancy Edmonson, special nieces and nephews in Michigan and Virginia, and many grandchildren and great grandchildren both in Michigan and Florida, and many friends.
No plans have been made for a memorial at this time.
Cremation arrangements have been entrusted to L.C. Friederichs & Son Funeral Home, St. Clair. To leave the family a message of comfort visit: www.lcfandson.com
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