Geraldine "Gerrye" Leist

Geraldine (Gerrye) Leist, 91, of South Haven, died Thursday, September 12, 2013 at Countryside Nursing Home under Hospice care. She was born in Detroit, MI, March 31, 1922 to Frank and Laura (Quinkert) Hewson.

As a young adult, Gerrye loved to dance. She was a dancer and instructor at the Elaine Arndt School of The Dance in the Detroit area teaching ballet, tap, and ballroom dancing. There she met the man she was to marry and the love of her life, Robert Leist, who was also a ballroom dance instructor. They married on August 3, 1946 in Detroit and moved to South Haven in 1960.

Gerrye continued to teach dance in her home while raising her children and working at Hales Department Store. She returned to Detroit for a period where she worked and retired from JC Penney and then returned to South Haven. She loved the beach, gardening, and most of all spending time with her children and grandchildren. She was a longtime member of St. Basil Catholic Church.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Donald Hewson and sister, Marion Tschirhart.

Gerrye is survived by her children; Gary Leist of Franklin, MI, Dale Leist of Ann Arbor, MI, Janice Brewer (Keith Olson) of South Haven, Todd (Kim) Leist of Grand Junction, Scot (Karen) Leist of Benton Harbor, Joyce Keller (Tim Horan) of South Haven, and Jileen (Mark) Kessler of Taylor, MI. 11 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, and many other beloved family members also survive.

Her final resting place will be at the Our Lady of Hope Cemetery in Southgate, MI.

Visitation will be from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM on Tuesday, September 17, 2013 at the Filbrandt Family Funeral Home. with a Mass of Christian burial on Wednesday, 11:00 am, September 18, 2013 at St. Basil Catholic Church with Rev. Fr. Robert Flickinger officiating.

Memorial contributions can be made to Hospice at Home or the St. Basil Renovation Fund.