Merry Jean Gernant

Merry Jean Gernant, 77, of Geneseo, IL passed away on Thursday, August 4, 2022, at Hillcrest Nursing Home in Geneseo. A funeral service celebrating Merry’s life will be held at Vandemore Funeral Home & Crematory – Geneseo Chapel on Wednesday, August 10, 2022, at 10 a.m. Reverend Randy Mullen will officiate. Visitation will be held from 9-10 am on Wednesday, August 10, 2022, prior to the funeral service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Merry Gernant Memorial Fund.

Merry was born on December 25, 1944, in Washington, D.C., the daughter of Norman and Betty (Lent) Hoogerwerf. She attended high school in Fairbanks Alaska. She was very active in Girl Scouts with her mother growing up. Merry married her husband Butch Gernant on February 23, 1974. Together they had two sons. Merry was a journeyman carpenter in the union for many years. She was a carpenter’s apprentice where she then went on to become a carpenter full time, retiring after 20 years. Merry loved spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

Those left to cherish her memory include her husband, Butch of Geneseo; her mother, Betty Hoogerwerf of Geneseo; sons, Bill (Misha) of Cambridge, and Shawn (Sandra) of Hoschen, GA; brother, David (Betty) Hoogerwerf of Snohomish, WA; grandchildren, Harrison (Jennifer) Gernant, Joshua (Elizabeth) Moody, Stephan (Kari) Gernant, Samantha Moody, and Hannah Moody; and 12 great grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her father, Norman, and brother, Alan Hoogerwerf.