Onalee Ann Gerencer's Obituary
Onalee Ann (Dimond) Gerencer, passed away at The Leila and Cyrus Poppen Hospice Residence in Muskegon, MI on October 21, 2023, at the age of 96. She was born in Bay City, MI on January 4, 1927, to Willard and Mildred (Hoag) Dimond. After graduating high school at Bay City Central, she went to work at the Pentagon in Washington, DC for a couple of years. Returning to Michigan, she moved with her family to Muskegon and took a job as a telephone operator/supervisor at General Telephone. On May 27, 1948, she married Edward J. Gerencer and together they shared 75 years of marriage, 6 children, 8 grandchildren, and 12 great grandchildren. Onalee worked until the birth of her 2nd child and then remained at home to raise and care for her family until 1966. She then took a job for the City of Muskegon Heights as an assistant to the City Assessor, where she remained until her retirement at age 59 ½. She and her husband, Ed, enjoyed many retirement years together. She and Ed especially loved to travel to Las Vegas for a few weeks during the winter months and could often be found at casinos in Mount Pleasant and Manistee. Onalee loved to sew and golf. She made most of her clothes and was fortunate to have 2 holes-in-one during her golfing years. She was most happy when ALL of her children and their families could be together to celebrate any occasion.
Onalee is survived by her husband, Edward J. Sr.; her children, Laura (Rob) Werner, Edward J. (Patricia) Gerencer Jr., Tom Gerencer, John (Marty) Gerencer, and Paul Gerencer; her grandchildren, Jason (Marion) Werner, Justin (Lara) Werner, Edward J. (Jena) Gerencer III, Erin Bullard, Nicholas (Mary) Gerencer, Jennie (Mark) Nowak, and Chad (Laura) Gerencer; her great grandchildren, Oliver and Isla Onalee Werner, Lukas and Elliot Werner, Edward J. Gerencer IV (E.J.) and Andrew Gerencer, Kelsey Bullard, Silas Ames-Gerencer, Lydia and Elyse Nowak, Reese and Gwenyth Gerencer; siblings, Catherine Johnson and Joseph (Marilyn) Dimond. She was preceded in death by her parents, Mildred and Willard; daughter, Paula Jo; grandchild, Jeremy Gerencer; and sisters, Georgia (Watkins) Smith, Alice (Kacorowski) Gittins, Elva Ernestine (Ernie) Sloan.
VISITATION with the family will be 6-8 PM on Thursday, October 26, 2023, with a ROSARY SERVICE starting at 6 PM at The Walburn Chapel of Sytsema Funeral & Cremation Services (1547 W. Sherman Blvd., Muskegon, MI 49441). A MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL will be 11 AM on Friday, October 27, 2023, at the Prince of Peace Catholic Church (1110 Dykstra Rd. Muskegon, MI 49445) with Fr. Lou Anderson presiding. In lieu of flowers, MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS may be directed to the Muskegon Catholic Central Education Fund, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or Harbor Hospice.
Sytsema Funeral & Cremation Services is honored to be serving the Gerencer family. To share special memories with the family, please visit http://www.sytsemafh.com.
What’s your fondest memory of Onalee?
What’s a lesson you learned from Onalee?
Share a story where Onalee's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Onalee you’ll never forget.
How did Onalee make you smile?