Geraldine "Gerry" Mann

Geraldine "Gerry" Maier Mann (87) was born near Jamestown, Missouri, on February 17, 1935, to Joe W. and Frieda J. (Opel) Maier. She received her diploma from California High School, in California, MO, her Bachelor of Science Degree from Central Missouri State College (now University of Central Missouri), and her Master's Degree from Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI. Geraldine worked as a secretary at the University of Central Missouri, served as a business teacher in Knob Noster, MO, from 1959 to 1963, at Garden City High School, Garden City, MI, during 1967 and 1968, and at Harper Creek High School, Battle Creek, MI, from 1970 until retiring in 1988. On May 25, 1957, Geraldine married her college sweetheart, Robert (Bob) W. Mann, at the Lutheran Chapel in Warrensburg, MO. Robert and Geraldine have three children: Elsbeth "Beth" (Mark) Pace of Tallahassee, FL, Douglas "Doug" (Kathy) W. Mann of Battle Creek, MI, and Gregory "Greg" (Michelle) L. Mann of Waunakee, WI. They have four grandchildren: Jeremy Mann, Rebecca Mann, Jeffrey (Erika) Mann of Michigan, and Savannah Mann of Wisconsin. They have two step granddaughters: Ashley Pace and Lauren (Jason) Perry, a step great-grandson, Braden, and a step great-granddaughter, Madelyn Rose, of Florida. Geraldine was a member of various business, educational, and honorary organizations including MEA-NEA. She was a member of St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church (LCMS) since 1969 serving on various committees, the church library, and the music library. For many years Geraldine sang in the church choir. In addition, she volunteered with Scouting and attended numerous sporting events. Her hobbies included travel and reading. Her most passionate joy was spending time in all aspects of the lives of her grandchildren; living to see the wedding of her youngest grandson in October 2022. Geraldine and Robert traveled to San Benito, TX, for winters beginning in 1989. After spending 23 years in the Texas Rio Grande Valley, they moved to Tallahassee, FL, and then to Lakeland, FL, before recently resettling back in Battle Creek. Gerry was preceded in death by her parents, Joe W. and Frieda Maier, brother Lex W. Maier, sister Jean Johnson, parents-in-law William A. Mann and Ruth Owen Mann, step-mother-in-law, Opal Mann, brother-in-law, David O. Mann, sister-in-law Suzanne Hubbard, step-brother-in-law, Steven Flood, and daughter-in-law Anne Misner Mann. A memorial service will be held for Gerry at St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church on Saturday, January 14, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. Visitation will precede at 10:00 a.m. Memorial donations may be made to the St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church building fund, 349 Capital Avenue N.E., Battle Creek, MI 49017. Arrangements are by Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Cremation Preneed Care. Personal messages for the family may be placed at www.farleyestesdowdle.com