Plan for the Future
~~Geraldine Marie Van Riper died this past Wednesday, February 1, 2017 at the CareOne nursing facility in Morristown NJ. She was 78.
Gerri was born in early 1938 to John and Mary Luckey in Morristown. She was the youngest of 7 children and lived in Whippany until she married her high school sweetheart. Gerri had lived in New Jersey most of her life until retiring to Palmer, PA. She was preceded in death by her parents and 5 of her siblings.
Other than being a wife and mother to her three children, Gerri had few jobs but her favorite was being instrumental in building the prominent Women’s Healthcare practice in Sussex County where she was office manager for over 20 years. She was a very disciplined, strong willed and determined do the right thing.
Gerri was very social and blessed with many friends. She enjoyed entertaining, gardening and volunteering. Gerri was a beloved member of the URW Women’s group where she held an officers position for several years. She was very committed to her faith in God and volunteered with her husband at St.Francis Retreat House and faithfully attended services at St. Francis Friary of Mount Assisi. They also volunteered weekly at St. Luke’s Hospital in Bethlehem, P.A.
Gerri is survived by her beloved husband of 59 years, Donald, her son Gerald (little Jerry), her daughters Donna Bergmann and Cyndi Caserta, 6 grandchildren, Sarah, Joseph, Emily, Carl John, Catherine & Stephan and 3 great-grandchildren, and her sister Catherine(Kitty) Baird.
A Memorial Mass will be held on Saturday, February 11, 2017 at 10;30 am at Our Lady of Mercy Chapel, 90 Whippany Road, Whippany, NJ. In lieu of flowers, donations in Gerri’s name may be made to: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, PO. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN, 38101-9908.