Geranda C Everly

Geranda Clara Birch Everly received the best Christmas gift when Jesus reunited her with the love of her life, Darrell Robert Everly Sr. on Christmas evening. She was surrounded by her children and grandchildren at St. Anne's Hospital after an illness of RSV.
Geranda (Jean) was born January 3, 1941 to Charles Schuyler and Helen Lela (Neff) Birch in Logansport, Indiana. She was the second of four children. Harriett Joy (Frank) Hunt, Robert Dale, and Elizabeth (Betty) Etta (Henry) Basham. The family eventually moved to Toledo, Ohio during her childhood. She also spent time with an aunt and uncle in Georgia with many happy memories. On any beautiful summer day in Toledo, she would say, "This is a Georgia day". She loved summertime with the sunshine warm weather, and all of the flowers. She spent hours planting, watering, and weeding! We'd tease her by saying it was her therapy. She loved her roses, hibiscus, hydrangeas, and wave petunias, but then there was her herb garden! She had everything a good cook would want and then some, but I'm getting ahead of myself.
Jean met Darrell through a friend in the neighborhood, she was a teenager attending Waite High School, and he was handsome in his Army uniform, it was love at first sight!
They were married on September 4th, 1956. Darrell had a few jobs in those early years. They soon had Diane Kay and Darrell Jr. (Rob). They moved a few times around the Toledo area as well as Riga and Luna Pier, Michigan. Then they took to the road, taking Route 66 to California. They lived in Compton until the death of her mother-in-law in October 1959. They settled back in Toledo, while Darrell worked for Chevy on Alexis Rd. Traves Dean came along, then Dana Marie and Brandy Kay. By that time Darrell and Jean bought a house in Holland, Ohio (later they moved to Sylvania, Ohio). They raised their kids and became close friends with the neighbors and the couples that they worked with. They enjoyed neighborhood parties, bunco groups, book clubs, and macrame. They often took their family camping and fishing. Jean was also an artist. She could draw, paint, and write poetry that was even published in a book and in The Toledo Blade! She and Darrell also enjoyed country music and going out dancing.
Once their children started getting married and having children of their own Jean fell into her role as Nana as if she was born for it. She could make up stories for them changing her voice for each character or giving the characters Irish accents, as well as making up songs and lullabies. Her grandchildren remember doing crafts with her, playing on the deck, riding up and down the long driveway, sewing, crocheting, and all the million other things she did to make their childhoods wonderful.
Throughout the years, when needed, Jean worked part-time jobs at candle shops, waitressing and even watch repair, from about 1968 to 1973 she worked as a Machinist at Berndy Corporation, but her favorite role was Homemaker.
Jean didn't go to college per sé, but audited classes at Toledo University and Lourdes College. She was an avid reader of biographies and memoirs, but the occasional novel piqued her interest.
She was keenly interested in our family tree and genealogy. She and Darrell or she and her daughters took trips researching both her and Darrell's ancestry. She was also quite talented in planning and hosting family reunions. She always did it all with love.
In 1996, Jean and Darrell renewed their vows in a beautiful ceremony for their fortieth anniversary. She looked beautiful in her off-white tea-length dress. Darrell said she was as beautiful as the day they met. In June 2004 her Love went home to Jesus and has waited patiently for her. In the years since his leaving she ached for him. She reluctantly learned how to live alone with her kids and grandkids coming to visit, but longed for Darrell. She did learn to keep in touch with friends on Facebook, play Scrabble online, and navigate an iPhone! She also loved traveling. She went to the Bahamas, TN, IN, IL, and on women's retreats with her children and grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, sisters, brother, and 16 of 17 of Darrell's brothers and sisters, along with their wives and husbands. They were all very special to her and she missed them with all of her heart.
She leaves behind her children Diane (Robert) Bethel, Rob (Sara) Everly, Traves (Karen) Everly, Dana (Bob) Quednau, and Brandy (Jeff) Hall.
She leaves behind her grandchildren Bradley Richard (Tracy), Brett Darrell (Amy), Blake Robert, and Brian Alexander Bethel, Emily Jane (Michael) Bretelson and Ross Birch Everly, Jessica Nicole (Patrick) Latvala, Lauren Danielle (Justin) Donovan, and Traves Everly Jr (TJ) and their mother who never stopped being a dear "daughter-in-heart", Nancy (Doug) Jackson, Robert Shane (Erika), Landon Karl, and Levi Tyler (Celina) Quednau, Lydia Anne Everly, Anna Elizabeth Everly-Ricker, and Chloe Junia (CJ) Ricker.
She leaves behind her great-grandchildren Flannery Henderson Bethel, Kennedy Rae and Keaton Jack Bethel, Stella Jane, and Tucker Michael Bretelson, Izabella Nicole and Jayden Michael Latvala, Aidan Laurel, Brenna Claire, and Callan Elaine Donovan, and Robert Cody, Piper Cheyenne, and Payton Grace Quednau.
She also leaves behind a dear sister-in-law and best friend, Constance (Connie) Ruth (Everly) Eaton, and many, many nieces nephews and grand nieces, and nephews.
Services are provided by Walker Funeral Home, Airport Hwy.
Viewing will be Friday, December 29 from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Funeral/Celebration of Life will begin at noon at the Holland Free Methodist Church 6605 Angola Rd. followed by graveside services at Springfield Township Cemetery Airport Hwy. There will be a luncheon afterward at the church.
The family wishes in lieu of flowers, please donate in Geranda Everly's name to the Salvation Army or the Holland Free Methodist Church.