Geraldine "Geri" Marie Miles
December 1, 1921 ~ December 16, 2018
Geraldine M. (Wilge) Miles, 97, Brandon, died peacefully on Sunday, December 16, 2018, at Bethany Home in Brandon, SD.
A Graveside Memorial/Burial Service will be held at a later date, in the Spring 2019, in Mitchell, SD. Geri will be laid to rest along with her husband, Gerald and daughter, Mary Jo. The Graveside Burial will include a tribute to all three of them. Please feel free to check back for a date of service.
Geri Marie Wilge was born in Sanborn County, SD on December 1, 1921, to John and Josephine (Gaspard) Wilge. Geri grew up north of Mitchell at the Farwell Store that her family owned. They lived in the back portion of the store for many years. After Geri graduated from high school she moved to California and worked at Lockheed in the Personnel Department. While in California, she bought herself a white convertible and enjoyed the warm sunny days. She later moved to Joplin, MO to be with Gerald, whom she married on July 6, 1944. He had just returned from 5 years of active duty in Australia. Eventually they moved back to Mitchell, SD, where they raised their family until 1967, when they moved to Brandon, SD, to run D & L Farm Implement.
In 1992, they moved to Florida. Two weeks after moving there, Gerald passed away. Geri stayed in Florida, living with her daughter Mary Jo. She spent 27 years in sunny Florida. Mary Jo unexpectedly, passed away in December of 2012. Due to Geri’s visual impairment, she moved back to SD to live with her daughter and son-in-law, Mike and Deb Erickson of Valley Springs for five and a half years before moving to Bethany Nursing Home in Sioux Falls. In November 2018, she moved to Bethany Home in Brandon, where she passed away.
Those remaining to cherish her memory are her children, Dave (Marilyn), Mitchell, SD, Linda Boyle, Rapid City, SD, John “Jack” (Avis), Circle, MT and Deb (Miles “”Mike”) Erickson, of Valley Springs, SD; numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Preceding her in death was her husband, Gerald; one daughter, Mary Jo; one granddaughter, Kim Boyle; two sisters, Cleo and Jean; and various sister and brother-in-laws.
Our sympathies to you and your family, Deb.
Sympathy on the death of Geraldine. She had a long life, well lived. My mother, LaVera Donahue Casey (Margaret Gaspard Donahue’s daughter) was Geri’s cousin.