Geraldine “Geri” Kerl
BUFFALO TOWNSHIP — Geraldine “Geri” Kerl, age 88, of Buffalo Township, Marquette County, Pardeeville, WI passed into the Lord’s care, Saturday, January 10, 2026, at Markesan Resident Home, Markesan, WI.
Geri was born in Janesville, Wisconsin on January 24, 1937, to Otto and Emilie Klemp. She graduated from Janesville High School in 1956 and married Ronald L. Kerl on August 24, 1957. Geri worked for Parker Pen Company up until the birth of her first child in July of 1960, when she became a full-time homemaker and devoted her time to raising her four children. In 1967, Geri and Ron moved their family to “The Farm” (Hickory Ridge Farm) in Buffalo Township, Marquette County, where they became known by the neighbors as Green Acres. It is here they became farmers; raising cows, pigs, sheep, horses, chickens, ducks and pheasants which later became a family business. Beyond the responsibilities of raising four children, Geri took an active role in the pheasant business; picking and washing eggs and helping in the hatchery on “hatch days”. She enjoyed every aspect of the outdoors from gardening and lawn work to feeding and watching the wildlife on The Farm. She took an active role in helping “the guys” process game, from cleaning to serving delicious wild game meals. Geri enjoyed working in the kitchen preserving home-grown and wild-collected harvests, as well as cooking and baking. She also painted several paintings and wrote numerous short stories. In her spare time, Geri worked for the Towne and Carriage Shop, Ben Franklin and was the manager of the Rainbow Thrift Shop, all of Portage. She also worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant at the Wyocena Nursing Home. During Ron’s college days in Stevens Point, Geri was a member of the Junior Women’s and Newcomers Club. Geri is a past member of St. John’s Lutheran Church Ladies Aid of Montello and past member of Caregivers in Montello. She also supports the National Wildlife Federation, Defenders of Wildlife and National Wildlife Fund.
Geri is survived by her children, Ken (Rosalie) Kerl, Coloma, Susan (Michael) Brown, Fond du Lac, Philip Kerl (Candice Purcell), Pardeeville, Holly (Terry) Coyle, Montello; her niece, Trudy Slatter; nephews, Jeff Klemp, Keith McLaughlin, and Neil McLaughlin; eight grandchildren, and fourteen great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ronald, parents, Otto and Emilie Klemp, brother, Herman, sister, Ellie (McLaughlin), her twin brother, Gerald, nephew, Scott McLaughlin and her grandson, Terry Coyle Jr.
A Memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 850 Armstrong Street, Portage, WI 53901, with Rev. David Juhl officiating. Visitation begins at 9:30 a.m. until time of service at 10:30 a.m. Luncheon following the service.
At Geri’s request, the family asks no flowers to be sent. Memorials may be made to the family.
Pflanz Mendrala Funeral Home, in Portage, is assisting the family.
