Geraldine MacAdams

MacADAMS

Geraldine "Gerry" 3/13/1924 - 3/9/2015



Geraldine (Mitchell) MacAdams, 90, of Lambertville, MI, died on Monday, March 9, 2015 at The Hickory Ridge of Temperance Nursing Home. She was born March 13, 1924, in Bethlehem, PA to the late George and Rose Mitchell. She graduated from Liberty High School in Bethlehem in 1942, and from Cedar Crest College magna cum laude, in Allentown, PA, in 1946. After college, she worked on the editorial staff of the (now-defunct) Woman's Home Companion in New York City. In 1948, Gerry married her college sweetheart, Richard MacAdams, and moved to Toledo, Ohio, where her husband was employed as an engineer with the Pure Oil Company. She worked occasionally as a substitute teacher until the youngest of their three children started school, whereupon she embarked on a full-time career in the Toledo Public Schools for over 20 years, teaching English and Business courses at Whitney Vocational High School and at the Waite High School Skill Center. Gerry worked tirelessly not only to teach her students well, but to place them in good jobs and to help them pursue higher education.

Gerry was an activist all her life, particularly in the areas of women's rights, politics, and religion. She belonged to the AAUW, Bedford Township Republican Club, and St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church (Temperance, MI), and served each with great dedication and generosity. As an ardent Catholic, she was especially devoted to St. Anthony Church, not only as a volunteer on many committees, but as a daily communicant from the time she retired from teaching until falling ill with Alzheimer's Disease in 2001.

When Gerry wasn't working, she loved to travel, and visited all but 11 of the 50 U.S. States plus most of Western Europe. She particularly relished her stays in Northern Ireland and England, where she had relatives; the religious shrines at Knock and Fatima; and Marco Island, Florida. Canada and Mexico were her favorites at Christmas-time.

In addition to her husband, Richard MacAdams, Gerry is survived by her children, Monica MacAdams (Michael Smith), a lawyer, of Washington, DC, Michael MacAdams (Maria), a physician, of Lubbock, TX, and Melanie MacAdams (Michael Chambers) a school teacher, of San Jose, CA; her grandchildren, Stephanie Stasik (Chad), of San Antonio, TX, and Ashley Elitt (Michael), of New York City; her great-grandchildren, Nicholas and Katharine Stasik and William and Elizabeth Elitt. Gerry was predeceased by her brothers, George and Eugene and Ron Mitchell, and by her sister, Frances Mitchell Reid.

Visitation will be Friday, March 13, 2015, from 4 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. in Urbanski's Bedford Funeral Chapel 8300 Lewis Avenue, Temperance, MI where Eulogies will be held at 7:00 p.m. and rosary at 7:30 p.m. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated Saturday, March 14, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. in St. Anthony's Catholic Church, by the Pastor, Fr. Brian Hurley, where she will lie in state after 10:00 a.m. in the narthex.

Entombment will follow in Toledo Memorial Park, Chapel of Peace Mausoleum, 6382 Monroe St., Sylvania, OH. (St. Anthony Church is located at 4605 St. Anthony Rd., Temperance, MI). In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions in Gerry's memory be made to either St. Anthony Church or to the Alzheimer's Association. Online condolences may be shared at:

bedfordfuneralchapel.com