Geraldine Ruth Geary

York, Maine-Geraldine Ruth (Sullivan) Geary passed away peacefully at York Hospital on February 7, 2018 after a very short illness. 

Gerry is survived by her four children: Patricia Caruso (Stan) of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, Jack Geary of San Pedro, California, Geraldine Reed (Ben) of Garmisch Partenkirchen, Germany, and Jim Geary (Louise Soucy) of Southwest Harbor, Maine.  She is also survived by her six grandchildren, Timothy Caruso (Heather), Sarah Amo, M.D. (Chad), Lauren Reed R.N., Jimmy Reed, Maeve Geary, and Teddy Geary.  Gerry is also survived by four great-grandchildren: Christian Caruso, Caleb Caruso, Reese Amo, and Mia Amo.  Gerry is survived by many loving nieces and nephews from both the Sullivan and Geary families and her sister-in-law, Netsy Sullivan.   

She was pre-deceased by her loving husband, John Geary in 1987.  Also predeceasing her were her parents, Herbert and Laura Gertrude (LaBadie) Sullivan, her brother Herbert Sullivan, her sister Dorothea (Sullivan) Quilty, her sister, Trudy (Sullivan) Dytko, her brother-in-law Ed Geary, sister-in-law Kay (Driscoll) Geary, her brother-in-law Ed Dytko, and her brother-in-law Bob Quilty.

Gerry was born in Quincy, Massachusetts on April 28, 1924.  She graduated from Milton High School in 1941 and obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry from Simmons College in Boston in 1945.  She was a woman way ahead of her time and worked as a chemist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  During her tenure at MIT she had research studies published including “Density Correction in Beta-Ray Assaying of Rock and Mineral Samples” (1949) and “Carbon Content and Radioactivity of Marine Rocks” (1951)

John and Gerry were married in 1951.  John served a 32 year career in the United States Air Force, retiring in 1974 as a Chief Master Sergeant.  Gerry was a committed military spouse and put her own career aside to raise four children and make their home at bases in Loring Maine, Westover Massachusetts, Albrook and Howard in the Panama Canal Zone, and Kincheloe AFB Michigan.  They settled in York, Maine after retirement.

Gerry was an avid sports fan and followed the Patriots, Bruins, and Red Sox with extreme dedication.  She watched the most recent Super Bowl from her hospital bed wearing her Patriots cap and with her Patriots blanket on her bed.  Gerry played in the women’s golf league at the York Country Club through the 2016 season when she was 92 years old.  She was proudly looking forward to the 2018 Winter Olympics since her grandson, Jimmy Reed, is on the US bobsled team.   

Gerry was an active member of St. Christopher’s Catholic Church in York.  Over the years she served as a lector, a eucharistic minister, and a devoted volunteer for many parish activities.  For many years she was a regular attendee at daily mass and loved delivering communion to those in the community who were unable to attend mass.  She was a woman of strong and unwavering faith.

A Mass of Christian Burial celebrating the life of Geraldine Geary will be held at St. Christopher’s Catholic Church, 4 Barrel Lane  in York, Maine on Monday, February 12th at 11:00 am.  Father Scott Mower will officiate.  Interment at First Parish Cemetery will follow the Mass with a luncheon after that at St. Christopher’s.  Donations in Gerry’s memory may be made to St. Christopher’s Catholic Church in York, Maine. Lucas & Eaton Funeral Home, 91 Long Sands rd., York, Maine is directing arrangements. Visit www.lucaseatonfuneralhome.com

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