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February 4, 2013
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne on Friday, February 8, 2013 from 2:00 to 4:30 PM. A Funeral Service will immediately follow visitation at 4:30 PM.
Geraldine “Geri” B. Berkman, age 82 of Wayne, died at her residence on Monday, February 4, 2013.
Geri was born in Weatherly, PA on December 21, 1930. She was one of William and Emma Laubach’s eight children. For many years she was a resident of Paterson which is where she raised her three sons, David, Daryl and Michael. As children, the boys were active in the Cub Scouts and whether they liked it or not, Geri was one of their den mothers. There was always a lot of laughter in the house. In her younger years, the boys would sneak party snappers into Mom’s cigarettes so they would pop when the cigarette burned down far enough.
In 1979, with the boys now married and out of the house, Geri decided it was time to move so she found a nice townhouse in Wayne. Boy, were the squirrels happy when she moved in! She treated them like they were royalty! She would buy those fuzzy-tailed furry creatures large bags of roasted peanuts and even shell them before serving. On some days they even got crackers with peanut butter, probably because she got a kick out of seeing them struggle to chew with that sticky stuff in their little mouths. Geri enjoyed making ceramic creations like cats, ducks, Christmas trees and cookie canisters. She loved playing bingo with friends at her home or going on day trips to Atlantic City with her daughter-in-law Dawn’s mom, Georgina. They never won the giant jackpot but together they always had a good time gambling till the cash they allotted themselves was gone. Then it was off to a nice restaurant for a lunch or meal before heading back on the bus towards home. Geri also loved to ice skate and roller skate. For many years she could be found every Sunday at Ice World in Totowa or South Mountain Arena in West Orange carving up the ice with family and friends. One time, she attended a block party at her townhouse. Everyone was having a great old time so Geri decided it was time to strap on her roller skates and impress them with her skills. As they say, “it’s all laughs until somebody gets hurt” and wow did Geri get hurt! She took a bad fall which resulted in her sustaining a compound wrist fracture. Geri was an interesting cook, deriving many of her recipes from The Star, that publication found at every grocery checkout in the country. She knew 101 ways to make meatloaf and the family most notably remembers meatloaf with prunes and meatloaf with whole hard-boiled eggs in it. She loved it when her children and grandchildren would come for dinner and if you came, you could always count on a new recipe being served.
In 1998, Geri decided it was time to move again so she sold her townhouse to her youngest son Michael and his wife Dawn and she began the next chapter of her life at Sisco Retirement Village in Wayne. As she settled in, it wasn’t unusual to hear her say, “boy oh boy, there are all old people living here!” The squirrels she used to spoil at the townhouse weren’t too happy to see her leave but over a period of time Sisco Village felt more and more like home for her and her two cats – a crème and black colored Himalayan named Chrissy and a grey Persian with orange eyes named Thira. Like the squirrels, she adored those cats and spoiled them rotten, serving them only food she would eat herself. Despite her allergies, she really loved animals and the whole family enjoyed their brown poodle named Susie and two other cats named Farrah and Tammy before Chrissy and Thira came along. In her later years she loved to listen to talk radio, especially Bernard Meltzer who had a show called “What’s your problem” and Rush Limbaugh. She always looked forward to Tuesday nights because Daryl would come over to drop off groceries, eat supper and watch Ghost Hunters with her. She’ll be remembered for the fun-loving, easy going person that she was and the love and affection she had for grandchildren.
Surviving are her three sons: David and wife Clara Berkman of Virginia Beach, VA, Daryl and wife Linda Berkman of Wayne, and Michael and wife Dawn Berkman; her seven grandchildren: Andrea, Ashley, Joshua, Kari, Justin, Tyler and Sarena; her two great-grandchildren: Kailey and Savannah; her brother Earl and wife Beverly of Kutztown, PA; and her two sisters: Lois of Easton, PA and Sara and husband Joe of Easton, PA. She was predeceased by four other siblings.
Those planning an expression of sympathy in Geraldine’s name are asked to consider Friends of Wayne Animals (FOWA) P.O. Box 3701, Wayne, NJ 07470.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne on Friday, February 8, 2013 from 2:00 to 4:30 PM. A Funeral Service will immediately follow visitation at 4:30 PM.
February 4, 2013
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne on Friday, February 8, 2013 from 2:00 to 4:30 PM. A Funeral Service will immediately follow visitation at 4:30 PM.
Geraldine “Geri” B. Berkman, age 82 of Wayne, died at her residence on Monday, February 4, 2013.
Geri was born in Weatherly, PA on December 21, 1930. She was one of William and Emma Laubach’s eight children. For many years she was a resident of Paterson which is where she raised her three sons, David, Daryl and Michael. As children, the boys were active in the Cub Scouts and whether they liked it or not, Geri was one of their den mothers. There was always a lot of laughter in the house. In her younger years, the boys would sneak party snappers into Mom’s cigarettes so they would pop when the cigarette burned down far enough.
In 1979, with the boys now married and out of the house, Geri decided it was time to move so she found a nice townhouse in Wayne. Boy, were the squirrels happy when she moved in! She treated them like they were royalty! She would buy those fuzzy-tailed furry creatures large bags of roasted peanuts and even shell them before serving. On some days they even got crackers with peanut butter, probably because she got a kick out of seeing them struggle to chew with that sticky stuff in their little mouths. Geri enjoyed making ceramic creations like cats, ducks, Christmas trees and cookie canisters. She loved playing bingo with friends at her home or going on day trips to Atlantic City with her daughter-in-law Dawn’s mom, Georgina. They never won the giant jackpot but together they always had a good time gambling till the cash they allotted themselves was gone. Then it was off to a nice restaurant for a lunch or meal before heading back on the bus towards home. Geri also loved to ice skate and roller skate. For many years she could be found every Sunday at Ice World in Totowa or South Mountain Arena in West Orange carving up the ice with family and friends. One time, she attended a block party at her townhouse. Everyone was having a great old time so Geri decided it was time to strap on her roller skates and impress them with her skills. As they say, “it’s all laughs until somebody gets hurt” and wow did Geri get hurt! She took a bad fall which resulted in her sustaining a compound wrist fracture. Geri was an interesting cook, deriving many of her recipes from The Star, that publication found at every grocery checkout in the country. She knew 101 ways to make meatloaf and the family most notably remembers meatloaf with prunes and meatloaf with whole hard-boiled eggs in it. She loved it when her children and grandchildren would come for dinner and if you came, you could always count on a new recipe being served.
In 1998, Geri decided it was time to move again so she sold her townhouse to her youngest son Michael and his wife Dawn and she began the next chapter of her life at Sisco Retirement Village in Wayne. As she settled in, it wasn’t unusual to hear her say, “boy oh boy, there are all old people living here!” The squirrels she used to spoil at the townhouse weren’t too happy to see her leave but over a period of time Sisco Village felt more and more like home for her and her two cats – a crème and black colored Himalayan named Chrissy and a grey Persian with orange eyes named Thira. Like the squirrels, she adored those cats and spoiled them rotten, serving them only food she would eat herself. Despite her allergies, she really loved animals and the whole family enjoyed their brown poodle named Susie and two other cats named Farrah and Tammy before Chrissy and Thira came along. In her later years she loved to listen to talk radio, especially Bernard Meltzer who had a show called “What’s your problem” and Rush Limbaugh. She always looked forward to Tuesday nights because Daryl would come over to drop off groceries, eat supper and watch Ghost Hunters with her. She’ll be remembered for the fun-loving, easy going person that she was and the love and affection she had for grandchildren.
Surviving are her three sons: David and wife Clara Berkman of Virginia Beach, VA, Daryl and wife Linda Berkman of Wayne, and Michael and wife Dawn Berkman; her seven grandchildren: Andrea, Ashley, Joshua, Kari, Justin, Tyler and Sarena; her two great-grandchildren: Kailey and Savannah; her brother Earl and wife Beverly of Kutztown, PA; and her two sisters: Lois of Easton, PA and Sara and husband Joe of Easton, PA. She was predeceased by four other siblings.
Those planning an expression of sympathy in Geraldine’s name are asked to consider Friends of Wayne Animals (FOWA) P.O. Box 3701, Wayne, NJ 07470.
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