Geraldine Anne "Geri" Pebdani

Geraldine Anne Hartman Pebdani (Geri)

December 14, 1958 – August 20, 2025

Geraldine "Geri" Anne Hartman Pebdani passed away on August 20, 2025, in Sunnyvale, California, embraced by the presence of deep love and divine light. On her final day she was cradled with tenderness until her very last breath by her eldest daughter, Maria. In those sacred final hours, Geri also spoke with and shared deeply meaningful moments with her children Jeremiah, Gabrielle, and David - and sisters, Vicki & Louise. Her soul departed wrapped in love. She was 66 years old.

Born in Norfolk, Virginia, on December 14, 1958, Geri grew up in a family of nine children in Michigan. Her mother, a woman of great strength, raised them with resilience and faith, while her father bravely served at Pearl Harbor during World War II. From this legacy of courage, Geri inherited a bold spirit, a tireless work ethic, and a deep love for God, family, and freedom.

Geri's journey through life was deeply enriched by her love of learning and her belief in personal growth. After graduating from Morley Stanwood High School in 1977, she pursued her curiosity and compassion through higher education. She studied Liberal Arts at Ferris State University, graduating in 1980, and continued her studies in Recreation & Leisure at the University of Oregon, earning her degree in 1985. Later in life, her nurturing spirit led her to pursue Dental Hygiene at Ferris State University, where she graduated in 1997 (proving that it's never too late to follow a new calling).

Throughout her life, Geri lived as a seeker, a creator, and a caregiver. She was a veteran, a licensed dental hygienist, caregiver for the elderly and disabled, a talented painter, and an ordained minister. She traveled the world and embraced its beauty - living in Germany and visiting Paris, Berlin, Luxembourg, Milan, and Barcelona, among many other places. Each place she touched, she left brighter.

She had a deep passion for storytelling and found joy in movies - from timeless classics to modern dramas. Her imagination and creativity spilled into everything she did. She sewed intricate works of art, designed hand-crafted gifts, and sent lovingly made bracelets and peacock designs to those she cherished. Creativity wasn't just a hobby for Geri, it was her language of love.

Geri's spiritual life was profound. She was an ordained minister who spoke passionately of her devotion to and teachings of Yeshua Messiah. If you'd like to feel her spirit and hear her voice, she made a video called The Existence of Heaven and Hel l, you can watch it here. Her beliefs were deep, sacred, and central to her mission of sharing love, redemption, and divine truth. Even in hardship, she turned to scripture, faith, and creativity to express her heart.

She was not given an easy life. Everything she had, she earned. And through it all, she never lost her soul of generosity. Geri gave freely - from her hands, her heart, and her spirit. She was known for sending thoughtful care packages, Starbucks gift cards ($5, or if you were lucky, $10), handcrafted gifts, and prayers filled with tenderness. Even when life was heavy, her giving never stopped.

Geri's presence was unmistakable. She cared deeply, sometimes fiercely, and was always ready to offer advice, whether you asked for it or not. Her guidance came from a place of love and life experience, and those close to her knew that behind every strong opinion was a heart that only wanted the best for you.

Geri's beauty was both gentle and striking. She had green hazel eyes that shimmered with light, ivory skin, and dark brown hair that framed her expressive face. Her smile was wide and warm, like sunshine breaking through clouds, and her laugh (childlike and giggling) was the kind that tickled your heart and made everyone around her feel lighter.

She is survived by her five children: Maria, Jeremiah, Samuel, Gabrielle, and David. Each carrying a part of her flame. Her love continues through her grandchildren: Liam, Clio, Stella, Pippa, and Willa. She also leaves behind her former husband Shari Pebdani, who loved her dearly until the end.

In her final chapter, Geri faced pulmonary fibrosis with extraordinary grace and courage. This progressive and terminal lung disease causes irreversible scarring of the lungs, gradually making it harder to breathe and limiting the body's ability to absorb oxygen. As her body grew tired, Geri's soul only grew stronger.

A candlelight vigil was held in her honor on Friday, August 22nd, beneath a redwood tree in Sunnyvale, California. Miraculously, our family later realized we had unknowingly visited that same tree one year before. We believe this was her sign to us, a message that she is at peace, with God, and watching over us now as our guardian angel.

On the day of her passing, the green parrots returned to Barceloneta, Spain, where her daughter lives. Geri loved colorful birds, and we know this was another sign. A whisper of her soul in the skies, reminding us that she is free.

Her memory is a blessing. Her presence will be missed beyond words, and her love will be carried in everything we do.

A Prayer for Mama Geri

Dear God, Divine Creator of all life,

Today we lift up the soul of Geraldine Anne - our beloved mama, grandmother, sister, and friend.

Thank You for the light she brought into this world.

For her creativity, her strength, her humor, her fire, her love.

As she returns home to You,

May her spirit soar free, like the birds she loved,

Beyond pain, beyond illness,

Resting in perfect peace beneath Your wings.

May her memory live on in our hearts,

In our acts of love, our courage, our faith.

May we carry her legacy forward - her art, her laughter, her resilience.

Let us feel her presence when we need her most -

In the quiet, in the sun, in the wind, in the joy of being alive.

We release her now to You,

With honor, with tears, with deep and abiding love.

Let her soul be bound in the bond of life eternal.

Amen.