Photo courtesy of Herring Groseclose Funeral Home - Walla Walla
Sep 22, 1942 - Aug 26, 2025
Gerri was the flower girl in my parents’ wedding. She was also my godmother. I didn’t get to see her often, but I will always remember her smile and her laugh.
May you rest in Christ’s peace that is promised when you follow His path.
Elizabeth (Liz) Venneri Coke
September 08, 2025 | Lacey, WA | Family
Gerri and I were classmates DeSales High School Class of '60. She was a real ball of fire--a great cheerleader I recall. Gerri was always fun to be around. Our paths didn't cross again till after 2010 or so when she hosted our class reunions. She made everyone feel so welcome in her lovely home. Gerri will be sorely missed by many. May she rest in eternal peace.
Carol Kope
September 07, 2025 | Oceanside, CA | Friend
Gerri's presence extended beyond Walla Walla and southcentral Washington. Her impact was statewide. Gerri was a key and valued member of our Board at the Association of Washington Business. She was among a handful of small business leaders from around our state helping to make Washington a better place to live and start, own and operate a business. Gerri led with dignity, grace and sincerity. She made her mark and made a difference. Most important, Gerri was a good Christian wife, mom,...
Don Brunell
September 07, 2025 | Vancouver, WA | Friend
I worked in the office with Gerri at Express Personnel in the early 2000s. I was so impressed by her drive, her professionalism, and her involvement in the community. If I asked a question, she knew the answer immediately, sometimes before I could finish asking. I couldn't believe how she knew everybody, whether in the business world or community. She was always perfectly dressed, perfectly coiffed, and ready to take on the day. She definitely left a positive impression on me. She will be...
Patrice Thayer
September 06, 2025 | Walla Walla, WA | Friend
RI.P.
Fred Venneri
September 05, 2025 | Friend
Always such a delight to be around always laughter and kindness. She had a great sense of humor. Will be remembered and greatly missed
MARYANN Byerley
September 03, 2025 | TOUCHET, WA | Friend
Geraldine “Gerri” Lucarelli Coleman, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and community leader, passed away peacefully at her home on August 26, 2025, surrounded by her family.
Born on September 22, 1942, in Walla Walla, Washington to Remo Lucarelli and Margaret Martuscelli Lucarelli, Gerri was a proud second-generation Italian American with deep hometown roots. She attended DeSales Catholic School, graduated, and went on to live with ambition and devotion to family. She was the loving mother of two daughters, Adele Pontarolo and Michele Italiane, and later married the love of her life, Rick Coleman, with whom she shared 42 treasured years. Together they built a close- knit family that was her greatest joy.
Gerri’s career reflected her intelligence, drive, and commitment to service. She was a successful business owner, running Express Personnel for fifteen years. After selling her business, she went on to work for U.S. Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, proudly serving the community she so deeply loved. In 1989, she became the first woman president of the Walla Walla Rotary Club—a distinction she held with pride.
Her civic contributions were wide-reaching: she served on the Board of Directors of the Association of Washington Business, the State of Washington Work Force Training and Education Board, and the Board of Directors of Wings Over Walla Walla. In 2000, she received the Walla Walla Chamber of Commerce Award of Merit for her outstanding civic service and community development. She was also a devoted member of the Catholic Church.
Despite these many accomplishments, Gerri’s heart was always with her family. She was a beloved homemaker who filled her home with love, laughter, and the unforgettable aromas of Italian cooking. Known for her pasta, her beautiful garden, and her ability to gather people around a welcoming table, Gerri created memories of warmth and togetherness that will live on in the hearts of all who knew her. Family dinners will never be the same without her, though she made sure to pass along her cooking traditions to her children and grandchildren. Her family finds comfort in knowing she is now in heaven, likely preparing her famous cavatappi and meatballs.
Gerri is survived by her husband, Rick Coleman; her sister, Nancy Dickey; daughters: Adele Pontarolo and Michele McAdams Italiane; stepson, Scott Coleman; and six grandchildren: Paige Pontarolo, Parker Pontarolo, Lili Italiane-Knutson, Ellie Italiane, J.R. Coleman, and Jake Coleman. She was predeceased by her parents; her sister, Sharon Lucarelli Clemons; and her stepdaughter, Melissa Coleman Gonzalez.
Gerri’s Rosary will be held on Monday, September 8, 2025, at 6:00 PM at the Chapel of Herring Funeral Home, followed by a Funeral Mass on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, at 10:00 AM at Assumption Catholic Church.
Memorial contributions may be made to Walla Walla Community Hospice or Walla Walla Catholic Schools through the Herring Groseclose Funeral Home, 315 W Alder St, Walla Walla, WA 99362. Friends and family are invited to sign the online guestbook at www.herringgroseclose.com. Flowers and condolences may be sent to Herring Funeral Home.
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