Geraldine Roberta Mershon, 84

May 13, 2018

Geraldine, ‘Jeri’ Mershon went to be with her Lord and Savior on May 13 at Conestoga View Nursing and Rehabilitation in Lancaster, PA after a long battle with dementia. She was well known for her passion for Christ and was an enthusiastic ambassador for Him throughout her life. She also loved sports and fitness- both as a participant and a fan/ observer. Hers was a life of ministry and pouring into others, including mentoring and teaching many younger women along the way. She had no children of her own, but enjoyed her students, nieces and nephews and they loved her too! She delighted in worshipping God, and was a great woman of prayer.

Born February 2, 1934 near Hickernell, Spring Township, Crawford County, PA, she was the daughter of Ronald Francis and Georgia Stanford Mershon. She was married briefly late in life to Paul M. Giebelman of Sun City, California.

She graduated in 1951 from Conneautville High School and from Slippery Rock State College in 1955 with a major in health education. In 1958 she earned a MA in Bible Education from Columbia Bible College, Columbia, SC. From 1958-1961 she was involved in ministry and further education in various locations in South Carolina, North Carolina, Michigan and Oklahoma. In 1961, she returned to NW Pennsylvania to work at the Sarah A. Reed Children’s Home in Erie, PA, following which she taught health and physical education at Harborcreek High School for two years.
In the decade from 1965-1975 she taught the same subjects at Beaver Area Junior High School and took course work in learning disabilities through the Penn State Extension program in Beaver, PA.

During a sabbatical leave in 1975, she pursued further graduate work at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. In 1976, she moved to Simi Valley, California, to become co-owner of Kay’s Vinyl Clinic which specialized in repair and replacing vinyl in cars, restaurants and other businesses. In 1982, the business transitioned to Jeri’s Vinyl Care and she continued similar services throughout the great Los Angeles area until she sold the business and retired to Pennsylvania in 2002.

During her career in California, she continued to pursue her passion for Jesus Christ through an affiliation with the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel through which she earned her certification in clinical pastoral education and served as a chaplain at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Long Beach, CA. She moved to Adelanto on the edge of the Mojave Desert until leaving California. On her return to Pennsylvania in 2002, she resided in Meadville for a couple of years before moving to the home of her older brother Millard and his wife Joyce near Bel Air, MD. When Millard and Joyce moved to Lititz, PA in 2007, Jeri accompanied them and lived there until moving to Conestoga View.

She is survived by brother Homer and wife Clemence of Conneautville, PA, brother John and wife Judy , of Pittsburgh, PA, sister-in-law Joyce of Lititz, PA as well as nieces and nephews- David of Havre de Grace, MD, Charles of Lititz, PA, Eileen of Lititz, PA, Sherie of Pittsburgh, PA, Grant of Milton, MA, Andre of Takoma Park, MD, and Claire-Helene of Seattle, WA, as well as grand- nieces and grand- nephews Matthew and Brian of Havre de Grace, MD, Ruth of Lititz, PA, Peter of Carlisle, PA, Aislynn and Brynne of Milton, MA, Alexander and Vivienne of Tacoma Park, MD and great grand niece and nephew Matthew Jr and Emilee of Havre de Grace, MD.

She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Helen and brother Millard.

A memorial service will be held on June 30, 2018 at 3pm at the Charles F. Snyder Jr. Funeral Home & Crematory, Lititz, with visitation from 2-3PM in advance of the service. Interment occurred near her brother Millard at the Witness Park Cemetery, Lititz, PA on May 17. Memorial contributions can be made to Church on the Way, 14300 Sherman Way, Van Nuys, CA 91405.