Gerarda Alana Sawyer

Louisville - Gerarda Alana Sawyer, known to most as "G.A." passed away peacefully at home after a long illness on July 23, 2025 with loving friends beside her. A core group of five longtime (over 30 years) friends have cared for her since December 2023 when she received her cancer diagnosis. Many others have taken her to dinner and other fun events in the past year and half as long as she was able; later, they were happy to visit her at home and bring meals. A favorite question of hers was: "Did you bring dark chocolate?" All agree that Gerarda had more faithful friends than anyone we know. She served as counselor, reliable party goer, wise woman, comforter, and genial host to all she came in contact with.

She is survived by her sisters and brothers Donna, Sharmille, Anthony, Louis who live in three countries. Both her parents Bill & Vici Sawyer preceded her in death.

Gerarda was born in Nassau, Bahamas on June 22, 1956 into a large family. Her mom, a nurse whom everyone called Miss Vici, provided the example of ready volunteer and compassionate friend to all who asked, donating to all who needed it, feeding those who came to her even a little hungry, and welcoming all into her home. Gerarda followed her lead as grew up, and had those same traits in abundance.

She moved to Louisville in mid 1970's to attend UofL where her sister Sharmille had moved before her. While in Louisville, she served as a fierce goalie for her women's soccer team and never let much get past her.

She lived in the Indiana countryside for a few years with a friend, but soon missed the city, and moved into her Louisville condo in 2008, where she continued to care for others, herself, and her cats Whiska, JazCay and Casuarina.

Gerarda worked in advertising for 30 years, first at Zimmer McClaskey Lewis, which later became Adware Systems.

After Adware, she returned to her first love, health food and natural healing, and worked with Rainbow Blossom in Louisville until retirement. She helped many customers sharing her compassion and knowledge on health food and homeopathic remedies.

She was much loved, and will be missed. Those closest to her credit her with making each of them a better person with her example of unselfish love, generosity, and compassion. And of course, we all found great delight in her contagious sense of humor, punctuated with Bahamian colloquial expressions and gestures.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Hospice/Louisville, American Cancer Society, Alzheimers Assoc of Louisville, Alley Cat Advocates.

A celebration of her life will be announced later this year.