Gerald Joe Stedillie

Gerald Joe Stedillie age 61 of Belle Fourche, died Wednesday February 16th, 2011 at the Spearfish Regional Hospital in Spearfish. Services will be held 2pm Monday February 21st, 2011 at Funeral Home of the Northern Hills in Belle Fourche. Inurnment will take place at 1pm Monday at Pine Slope Cemetery. There will be no visitation. Gerald Joe Stedillie was born October 15, 1949 in Belle Fourche. He was the son of Joe Jr. and Ruth (Mahloch) Stedillie. Gerald grew up in Belle Fourche, where he graduated from high school in 1968. He attended Black Hills State University for five years, and following his graduation he taught school in Lusk WY for one year, teaching Spanish, French, and English. For several years, Gerald was a custodian at the Belle Fourche high school. He also worked at Mason’s Fifth Avenue in Belle Fourche for several years. Gerald was an intelligent man who had a lifelong interest in foreign languages, especially Spanish. He spoke many languages such as French and Spanish. He was talented musically and played the accordion very well. It was a special day and memory in 1982, when Gerald and his mother Ruth were baptized as Jehovah Witnesses. For the past two years, following a stroke, Gerald has lived at the Serenity Corner Assisted Living Center where he made many new friends. Gerald is survived by his mother, Ruth Stedillie of Belle Fourche; sisters, JoAnn and Elaine Stedillie both of Belle Fourche. He was preceded in death by his father; and brother, Jim.