Geraldine May Van Assche, 85, of Dearborn Heights, MI, and formerly of Fayette, OH, peacefully entered into God's Heavenly Kingdom late Friday, July 22, 2011, in the comfort of her home and surrounded by her loving family. She was born on May 14, 1926, in Fayette, OH, to the late Tom and Nettie (Freiss) Merillat. She married T. James Van Assche on October 28, 1942, and they celebrated 68 cherished years of life together before he preceded her in death on February 21, 2011.

Gerri grew up on a farm in Fayette, and assumed many responsibilities in the family upon the passing of her young mother when Gerri was thirteen. The family later moved to Dearborn, MI, her father seeking employment with Ford Motor Company, and it was there that Gerri met the love of her life, Jim, and began raising her own family. In 1974, Jim and Gerri moved back to rural Fayette, where they made their home until May of 2009. She was a stoic and faith-filled person who was skilled in painting on various materials, and enjoyed gardening, sewing, crocheting, and knitting. She was an avid volunteer at the Crisis Pregnancy Center in Bryan, OH, and the St. Vincent DePaul Society in Fayette. She was active at her home parishes of St. Sebastian Church in Dearborn, and Our Lady of Mercy Church in Fayette.

Geraldine is survived by her seven children, Betty (Frank) DeMilde of Dearborn Heights, T. James (Kathy) Van Assche, Jr. of Romulus, MI, Robert (Barbara) Van Assche of Dearborn Heights, Judith Collins of Dearborn Heights, Donald (Sandy) Van Assche of Dearborn Heights, Geraldine (Brad) Rupp of Quincy, MI, and Paula (Glennis) Ferguson of Fayette, OH; five sisters, Arlene Eczar, Beverly (Peter) Gentelia of White Lake Twp., MI, Micki Stachurski of Canton, MI, Arlene (Don) Ruffatto of Maui, HA, and Carol (Paul) Stockburger of Fayette, OH; 36 grandchildren, 59 great-grandchildren, and two additional great-grandchildren on the way.

Besides her parents and her husband, Jim, she was preceded in death by her brother, Tom Merillat, and a son-in-law, Michael Collins.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Geraldine Van Assche will be held on Tuesday, July 26, 2011, at 9:30 a.m. at St. Sebastian Church in Dearborn with Father Aaron DePeyster as celebrant. She will be laid to rest next to Jim at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Southfield following a graveside service at 1:45 p.m. The family will receive friends for visitation at the Hackett-Metcalf Funeral Home in Dearborn on Monday, from 1-9 p.m., with a Rosary at 7:00 p.m.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Lennon Pregnancy Center, 24275 Ann Arbor Trail, Dearborn Heights, Michigan 48127