Geraldine "Gerri" Brittsan

Geraldine "Gerri" Brittsan Passed away peacefully on June 4, 2009. Gerri was born in 1926 to Roman and Marie (Leszcz) Lash of South Bend, Indiana. Gerri graduated high school from St. Joseph's Academy in 1944. Gerri received a full scholarship to St. Mary's College receiving her degree in Elementary Education in 1948, her Masters in 1950 from Indiana University. Gerri taught with the American Schools, spending two years in Yokohama, Japan, followed by Salzburg, Austria, then Schwaeb Gmuend, Germany, where she met her husband to be, Don. Gerri traveled widely throughout the Far East. In Germany, she and her friends would travel to a different city or country every weekend, Paris, Madrid, Istanbul, Tripoli, Italy, Denmark, Switzerland, and Yugoslavia. Married in Germany, the family returned to the States in 1958, first to Stockton, CA, on to San Rafael, CA, in 1960, finally Novato in 1969. Stopping to raise four children, Gerri resumed teaching full time in 1967, in the Dixie School District. Gerri was a member of Alpha Delta Kappa Sorority. She loved teaching the "little ones", as she called them. Reading, Art, and Music were always number one in her classes. In retirement, Gerri and Don enjoyed travels throughout the South Pacific, Panama Canal, Chile to Argentina (around the Horn) to name a few. Gerri was preceded in death by her husband of 46 years Don. Gerri is survived by son David Brittsan of Novato, daughter Suzanne (Michael) Walsh of Hailey, Idaho, daughter Mary (Michael) Chamberlain of Petaluma, and son Douglas (Heather, Miles, and Casey) Brittsan of Wilton, California. A Celebration of Life will be announced at a future date. Please email mike.chamberlain@ comcast.net to receive the announcement of Gerri's Celebration.