Geraldine A. Berlie

Geraldine A. Berlie, daughter of Rensselaer and Christina (Seifert) Hewitt was born on June 30, 1926 in Rockville, Nebraska.  She was the youngest of three children.

Geraldine married Lawrence Powers on August 30, 1944.  After Lawrence’s death, she married Loren (Mel) Berlie on September 28, 1964. Geraldine and Mel owned the Poor Boy Shoe Shop in Boelus for 39 years. Additionally, for 35 years, they enjoyed being Mr. and Mrs. Santa Clause for the young and young at heart. She was a Eucharistic minister at Rockville St. Mary’s and Our Lady of Lourdes in Ravenna.

Geraldine was involved in the Grand Island Arch Dioceses deanery and the American Legin Auxiliary. She volunteered for the election board, hospice and the VA Hospital. In January 2009, they moved from Boelus to Blair.  They were members of St. Francis Borgia Catholic Church where Geraldine assisted with home bound Eucharistic ministry to nursing home residents.

Geraldine passed away September 19, 2019 at the Crowell Home in Blair, Nebraska at the age of 93.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, September 22, 2019 at St. Francis Borgia Catholic Church in Blair from 5 to 7 PM with a Rosary beginning at 7 PM. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, September 23, 2019 at Our Lady of Lourdes in Ravenna, NE at 11:00 AM. Burial will be in the St. Mary’s Cemetery in Rockville, Nebraska.

Those left to cherish her memory include her 11 children: Leonard (Patsy) Powers, James (Susan) Powers, Mary (Wayne) Flora, Larry Berlie, Esther (Roger) Adams, Linda (Delbert) Linden, Virginia (George) Burgess, Christina Powers, David (Nila) Powers, Charles (Sharon) Powers, Joan (Leonard) Jurek; 40 grandchildren; 83 great-grandchildren; and 11 great-great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her two husbands; parents; two brothers; and five children.