“What a great friend, mentor and colleague Geri was to me from the time we first meet as fellow nurses when she came to American Lake VA back in 1992. Lots of precious memories of our time as friends. I celebrate her life and all the care and love she share with those she came in contact with. She was a true healer. My heartfelt sympathies to you all.

Gerri is now at rest where she longed to be, with her Heavenly Father.   I miss her more than words can say. 
 Especially now, I recall how much she enjoyed opening all the windows - of her home or in the car - and playing Handel’s Messiah, especially the ending with the Hallelujah chorus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUZEtVbJT5c 

We are blessed with the promise that each Easter brings to all of us. 🙏 

I was blessed to have been assigned to the office next to Gerri at the American Lake VA in Tacoma, WA in late 2009.   We became fast friends as I also am a female Veteran (USAF).  I too had lived in the WDC area when assigned to Andrews Air Force Base and learned that Gerri’s best friend’s (Jean) husband  Pat Murphy was the nephew of my eighth grade teacher, Sister Helen Murphy, in Brooklyn, New York, from where Pat’s large Irish Catholic family originated.    

Gerri referred a number of her medication patients to me for evidence-based psychotherapy and we worked as a team to help the Veterans we co-treated.  Gerri had many years at the VA when I started and she showed me the ropes imparting her wisdom to work in this huge organization to help the Veterans have a better quality of life, so many suffering from depression, anxiety and other serious mental health conditions.

Gerri showed me the ropes too in terms of introducing me to great restaurants in the area for co-worker gatherings after work on Friday nights, barbecues at their home and hosting Norm and I whenever we visited the Puget Sound area after we had relocated back East to the VA in South Carolina before retiring to Florida.  

We had some great outings with Gerri and Dana on both the East Coast and the West Coast including  spending a weekend with them in Hilton Head Beach and  attending a Bob Dylan Concert in about 2013 or 2014 in Seattle.  Gerri loved her “Bobby” and was on Cloud 9 that night.

In spite of feeling unwell, she got herself together in her usually well-coordinated attire and went out for dinner, always enjoying getting together with friends including Joyce Moody.

Gerri had a tremendous sense of humor and had great faith and spirituality.  These qualities helped her cope with the bad hand she was dealt later in life.  She had the most contagious laugh and loved life and people.

She was an inspiration to us all and model of graciousness and grace.  We love you Gerri ❤️💙

Butterworth Funeral Home - Arthur A Wright Chapel & Queen Anne Columbarium

Geraldine Spillers

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Geraldine Marie Spillers

July 16, 1949 – March 19, 2022

Butterworth Funeral Home - Arthur A Wright Chapel & Queen Anne Columbarium

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