Geraldine Thompson, who died in November was inured today. The inurement was preceded by a memorial gathering in church. The gathering was informal, folksy, reverent and respectful. Gerry had grown up in the community went off to St. Olaf College, where she sang in the choir and, from which she graduated. She went on to a career in education, beginning as a music teacher but most of her time was as a school counselor. For many years until her death she lived in Dayton, OH. She had no children and was the last survivor of her immediate family.
The community of her youth was Storden, MN., and the rural church was Amo Lutheran. Other than Lisa and I, those gathered were persons from her youth; family and friends. Geraldine was a counselor in Hopkins, MN. High School while Joanne was a high school counselor in neighboring St. Louis Park. On an outing for school counselors they shared hand lotion in the women's room. This began a life-time friendship. Gerry was Lisa's baptismal sponsor. In the last few years Lisa's work brought her regularly to Cincinnati so she frequently travelled to Dayton to visit Gerry.
Since that fateful encounter in 1966, Geraldine, and subsequently her father and brother, her mother died in 1968, became a significant friend of our family. We visited her in Dayton and annually she'd visit us in North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa or Minnesota. I was invited to preside on her father's re-marriage, conduct a funeral service for her brother and give an eulogy at her father's funeral. Attendance at today's service is the last opportunity for me to serve the family.
Takk for alt,
Al
Amo Lutheran Church
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