Earlene Petrie Gerlach

GERLACH, Earlene Petrie "Petee"It is with love and heartfelt sadness that we announce that Earlene "Petee" Gerlach, age 82, of North Palm Beach, FL, passed away on Friday, May 16, 2014. She was born December 7, 1931 to Lillian Imsande and Earl E. Petrie in St. Paul, MN and has resided in North Palm Beach since 1964. She was a graduate of The University of Minnesota, where she double majored in Business and Interior Design. In 1954, she was the only female graduate of the Business School and was the first female member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Midwest for Commercial Design. She was a member and President of the Alpha Delta Phi Sorority. Petee was a dear friend to many and always a faithful servant to the Lord, willing to volunteer throughout her life wherever she was needed. She was a committed volunteer for Cursillo, Jay Ministries, and also an active member of Via de Cristo and The North Palm Beach Saturday Morning Reunion group. Petee loved to garden and read, especially The Bible and Fenelon's "Seeking Heart". She was an avid bridge, domino and cribbage player. She and her late husband split their time between their homes in Florida and in Ajijic, Mexico where she was involved with The San Juan Cosilla School for the Deaf and the local food pantry. She was a founding member of Lakeside Presbyterian Church in Ajijic. She will always be remembered for her sweet and gentle demeanor, and her ever-present smile. Above all, Petee was a devoted daughter, wife, mother and friend. She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 54 years, Dick Gerlach. To honor and cherish her memory are her loving son and daughter, Peter Harry Gerlach II of North Palm Beach and Gretchen Anne Gerlach of Dallas, TX.

A service to celebrate her life will be held at First Presbyterian Church in North Palm Beach, 717 Prosperity Farms Road, on Thursday, May 22 at 4:00 PM. Walter "Lucky" Arnold, Senior Pastor, will be officiating with Rev. Steve Gibbons assisting. The family invites you to join them for a reception immediately following the service in the Fellowship Hall. In lieu of flowers, for those desiring to do so, memorial contributions may be made to Wounded Warriors Project (woundedwarriorsproject.org) or to the charity of your choice.

Arrangements under the direction of Howard-Price Funeral Home, North Palm Beach, FL.