Gail Denise (Unterreiner) Lichtenegger

Gail Denise (Unterreiner) Lichtenegger was born August 28, 1957, at Perry County Memorial Hospital to Raymond and Dorothea (Layton) Unterreiner. She was baptized, received first Holy Communion, and was confirmed at Christ the Savior Church in Brewer, MO. Gail was joined in marriage to James at Christ the Savior Church on June 24, 1978. She was an active member at St. John's Lutheran Church in Pocahontas, MO.

Gail graduated from St. Vincent High School in Perryville, MO in 1975 and earned an associate degree in Nursing from St. Mary’s Academy, O’Fallon, MO in May 1978.

Gail enjoyed her nursing career at many doctor's offices, surgery centers, and over 30 years at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was a Sunday school teacher, active in the women’s group and altar guild at St. John’s. Gail was a club and project leader in the Fruitland 4-H Club for many years. She enjoyed growing flowers and designing arrangements.

Gail and James were blessed with 3 children: Jenise Lichtenegger (Heather Happ) and their foster twins Jay and Jada of Collingswood, NJ, Sarah (Greg) Garbo of St. Louis, MO, and Paul (Alexius) Lichtenegger and their son, Henry of Arnold, Mo. She was a very active and loving wife, mother, and grandmother and put her family before anything else.

Loving survivors include her husband of 47 years, James Lichtenegger; three children; three grandchildren; sisters, Carol Moore and Ann (Louis) Baudendistel of Perryville, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, many nieces and nephews and extended family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Raymond and Dorothea Unterreiner and Jim’s parents, Floyd and Dorothy Lichtenegger.

The visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, July 11, 2025, at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson and on Saturday, July 12, 2025, from 9 a.m. until service at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Pocahontas.

The Rev. Steven Theiss will conduct the funeral service at 10 a.m., on Saturday, July 12, 2025, at the church. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

The family suggests that contributions be made to St. John’s Lutheran Church.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by clicking on the tribute wall tab above Gail’s obituary at mccombsfuneralhome.com.