Geraldine Weige Breshears

After a long and well lived life, Geraldine Leona Breshears, 99, died on October 12, 2022, of congestive heart failure. She was born August 16, 1923, in Houston, Texas. She recalled that her mother gave birth to her at their home in the Houston Heights in the middle of August with no air conditioning. She found it funny that her birth was attended by Dr. Motherall. She married Frank Sherman Breshears, Jr., on August 30, 1952. They met, became engaged and married within six months. Gerre and Frank enjoyed 48 years of love and devotion until Frank’s death in 2000.

Gerre was the only child of Edmund Charles Weige of Willow Springs and Leona Sophie Marie Weikel of the Roznov Community, both in Austin County. She was a fourth generation German Texan with roots going back to 1849. Gerre was a devout Lutheran, confirmed into the faith at Trinity Lutheran Church in Houston on April 10, 1938, by Reverend Oliver R. Harms, who would later become President of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. Although she was not a member there, she married at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Houston because it had air conditioning. In the early 1960s, Gerre and Frank joined Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Houston. When she moved to Dallas more than twenty years ago, she transferred her membership to Our Redeemer Lutheran Church.

Her father lost his job during the Depression and the three moved from Houston to New Ulm, Texas, to live with her paternal grandparents for seven months until her father got his job back at the Southern Pacific Railroad. She remembered her grandmother Augusta waving a white dishtowel as their train went by heading back to Houston on many visits.

Gerre graduated from Reagan High School in Houston in the class of 1941. She took a few business classes at the University of Houston and went to work for the Houston Press and then Humble Oil Company in the claims and right-of-way department. She was named Picnic Queen at Humble and did some modeling in Downtown Houston on her lunch hour. She recalled helping at the dances that were held for the soldiers during World War II and dating some soldiers who were eager to get married!

Gerre became a full-time mom with the birth of their only child, Donna. Gerre was warm, loving and kind to everyone she met. She stayed involved in Donna’s activities, helped with Frank’s business and related organizations, enjoyed history, politics, genealogy and her church community.

Gerre had a good heart and loved animals. She rescued one of their dogs, Katy, from the Katy railroad tracks behind Frank’s business in Houston. She later fostered and placed several dogs for a Dallas-Fort Worth rescue group.

In 1991, she and Frank found an 1895 farmhouse that had been built by a relative and had it moved to land that had been in the family since 1900. They spent many happy days making trips from Houston to their country place, antiquing, attending local events, planting old roses, visiting relatives and listening to the bullfrogs from the porch in the evenings.

She exemplified the power of her true calling as a wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Her joys were her grandchildren, Will and Emily. She loved them with all of her heart and helped and encouraged them as they have grown into adulthood.

Gerre is survived by her daughter Donna Plunket and her husband Paul Plunket of Dallas, Texas, grandson Will Plunket and his wife Claire Plunket, along with great-grandchildren Sherman Plunket, George Plunket and Cooper Plunket of Dripping Springs, Texas, and Emily Plunket of Dallas, Texas.

Gerre’s family thanks both the warm and caring staff at The Tradition on Lovers Lane in Dallas and the compassionate staff at All Star Hospice. Gerre would appreciate any tributes be made to Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 7611 Park Lane, Dallas, Texas, 75225.

A visitation will be held at Sparkman/Hillcrest, 7405 W. Northwest Highway, Dallas, Texas, 75225, on Friday, October 28, 2022, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm.

A funeral service is planned for Saturday, October 29, 2022, 3:30 p.m., at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 7611 Park Lane, Dallas, Texas.

A graveside service will be held on Tuesday, November 1, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. at Forest Park Westheimer, 12800 Westheimer Road, Houston, Texas.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Sparkman-Hillcrest.com for the Breshears family.