Darlene Loyer Gerrick ~ Class of 1985
Darlene Loyer Gerick was a Belleville student from Kindergarten until graduation. Darlene attended Elwell Elementary for kindergarten to sixth grade, continued to South Junior High School for seventh to ninth grade and graduated from Belleville High School in 1985. During her school years Darlene was manager for the Girls Volleyball Team and on the BHS Morning Announcement crew all three years and was a member of the Marching Tigers for her Junior Year. Darlene was also a Girl Scout throughout school and achieved her Gold Award before graduating. She attended Ripon College in Ripon, Wisconsin after high school and earned her BA with a dual major in Computer Science and Organizational Leadership. While at Ripon she was a member of the Forensic Team and joined Pi Kappa Delta for Speech and Debate.
After college Darlene spent a summer in Colorado looking for employment before deciding to move back home to Belleville. Her first job was part time teaching computers at St Anthony’s Academy here in Belleville. She then started a career in retail management from 1989-1999. From 1999-2015 she worked doing computer support and training. Darlene started in the IT department at the University of Michigan Health Centers in 2004 doing computer support and transitioned to Facility Manager in 2015. She reached 20 years as a University employee in January 2024.
Darlene was appointed to a vacated trustee position on the Van Buren Board of Education in June of 2017. She was then elected to the Board. She was named Secretary in January of 2019 and serves in that position to this day.
Darlene has served the community in many roles and organizations locally. She has been an Adult Girl Scout volunteer assisting troops and leading troops since 1990. Darlene was an advisor for Marina Gerick’s Benches for Belleville project which started in 2018 and resulted in numerous benches and picnic tables for the community, and thousands of pounds of bottle caps being saved from landfills. Darlene was on the Board for Cougar Football and Cheer, later named Tiger Football and Cheer, for eight years, serving first as the Media Director and then as the Registrar. Darlene was on the board of the Belleville Area Little League as Safety Officer. She was also the District 16 Safety and Information Director for Little League in Michigan for two years. Darlene has assisted with the Junior League World Series in Taylor since 2000. She works in the Stats Room for the events. Last year she was the organizer of the Stats Room and its staff.
Darlene is married to Ron Gerick, and they are the proud parents of BHS Class of 2023 Graduate Marina Gerick.