Gerald Fallert

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Gerald E. "Gerry" Fallert of Perryville died Thursday, Jan. 29, 2009 at his home. He was 69.

He was born Oct. 11, 1939 in River Aux Vases, Mo., the son of the late Frank and Cora Langelier Fallert. He was married June 5, 1971, to J. Cecilia Brown, who survives in Perryville.

Other survivors include one son, Gregory F. (Jamie) Fallert of St. Charles, Mo.; two daughters, Valerie Halaska and Meredith Fallert, both of St. Louis; three brothers, John (Ruth) Fallert, Herbert (Norma) Fallert and Robert P. (Dorothy) Fallert, all of Ste. Genevieve, Mo.; two sisters, Dorothy (Edgar) Gegg and Vera (Joe) Suennen of Ste. Genevieve; five grandchildren, Mikey, Cecilia and Genevieve Halaska, Samuel Fallert and Brynden Farmer.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Helen Naeger; and one brother, Richard Fallert.

Mr. Fallert was retired. He was former owner and operator of Fallert Appraisal Service in Perryville. He was a banker for 30 years, serving as executive vice president and CEO of Home Trust Mercantile Bank in Perryville and of Rozier Mercantile Bank in Ste. Genevieve. He began his banking career as assistant cashier of Bank of Bloomsdale. He was a fourth-degree knight, an extraordinary minister and served on the finance committee for St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Perryville. He was treasurer of the Perry Art Alliance and a member of the Ste. Genevieve Art Guild. He was past president of the Perryville Development Corp., the Perryville Area Chamber of Commerce and the Ste. Genevieve Chamber of Commerce. He was a member of the Perryville Garden Club and the Paso Fino Horse Association. He graduated from the graduate school of banking at the University of Wisconsin at Madison and received a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He was honorably discharged as a first lieutenant in the Missouri National Guard, Corps of Engineers.

He was a Master Gardener, known for his rock gardens and lily pond along Old St. Mary's Road in Perryville. An eagle, handcrafted by Mr. Fallert, flies near his gardens. For 25 years he was a breeder and proud owner of Paso Fino horses and owner of Silver Eagle Farms. He was an avid golfer and outdoorsman. He enjoyed painting in all mediums and leaves many images behind. He was a beloved papa to his five young grandchildren.

The family prefers memorials to the American Cancer Society or St. Vincent Schools.

Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday at Miller Family Funeral Home in Perryville. Parish prayers will be at 5:30 p.m. Visitation will continue from 6:30 to 9:50 a.m. Monday. The rosary will be recited at 9 a.m. Monday at the funeral home.

Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Perryville. The Rev. Milton Ryan will officiate, with entombment in the mausoleum at Mount Hope Cemetery in Perryville. Graveside military honors courtesy of American Legion Post 133.