Gerald L. Reou

Gerald L. Reou, age 85, passed away peacefully on Sunday morning, March 15, 2026 at The Carriage House of Bay City. The son of the late Leonard and Aileen (Neering) Reou, he was born on August 10, 1940 in Bay City. Jerry was raised in Essexville and graduated from St. John's High School. He was a dedicated electrician with General Motors for almost 40 years, starting out at Saginaw Grey Iron Foundry. In 1967, Jerry was the first electrician on the job at the newly opened Nodular Iron Foundry, and he was the last one out the door when they closed. In retirement he enjoyed playing pool, bowling and archery. Jerry has been a longtime, active member of Bay City Community of Christ Church and the Bay City Odd Fellows Lodge. And he taught archery at many church camps over the years. Jerry loved to pan for gold, especially in Alaska.

On February 25, 1961 Jerry was united in marriage to the former Beverly J. Cornelius, and sadly she preceded him in death on January 24, 2019. He is survived by their five children, Kimi (Randal) Czerkies, Gerald J. Reou, Lesli (Juan) Ruiz, Traci (John) Ratajczak and Thomas Reou; 15 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren; two brothers, James Reou and Leonard (Gloria) Reou; a brother-in-law, Mark Cornelius; and several nieces and nephews. Jerry was also preceded in death by a grandson, Zachary Reou; two sisters and a brother, Betty Murphy, Rose Militello and Joseph Reou; and his father and mother-in-law, James and A. Zaidee Cornelius.

The Funeral Service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 21, 2026 at Trahan Funeral Chapel with Pastors Randy and Sue Rausch officiating. Private interment will be at Floral Gardens Cemetery. Visiting hours will be on Saturday from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. Charitable contributions may be directed to the wishes of the family. Celebrate Jerry's life online by sharing your favorite stories and photos on his dedicated webpage at www.trahanfc.com