Terri  So so sorry for the loss of your Mom. My deepest sympathy is with you and your family. I never saw her when she was not smiling or laughing. I do know she raised a wonderful talented daughter whom I am proud to  have as a daughter-in-law. I know she was greatly loved and will deeply be missed.

It was always such a pleasure seeing Gerry.  She had a positive outlook on life and I was lucky to know her.  She was always learning new things, I think that is how I will best remember her, as one who looked at the glass half full and knowing there would never be an end of new things for her to learn.  Peace Gerry,
Your friend,
Claude

I'm sorry to hear of Gerry's passing. I remember when I was a little girl, & her & Jack stayed across the road from us, I would go & spend the day with her. She had all kinds of books & she would teach me all kinds of stuff. I remember her trying to teach me Russian & the only word I can remember how to say is hewett. I never will forget that. I remember her face lighting up talking about couponing when I ran into her in the store. She was a sweet person & fun to be around. She is now one of God's angels. She will never be forgotten. Rest in peace Gerry.

I'd been planning a trip to see Gerry, and I knew it would be the last time I'd get to see her. I was to arrive on August 4th. We were both really looking forward to it, but it was too late.

My father (Vern,) my stepmother (Sharon,) and I all love Gerry, and we will all miss her tremendously. We all met Gerry at Exide Electronics where she worked in my dad's department. My father loved her dearly and considered her an invaluable member of his team and also a great friend. After Gerry left Exide, she and I became great friends through pottery and poetry, and I we have been friends for 25 years. This morning, I shared some of my thoughts about Gerry. They're long, but these are some of my memories of the wonderful person that she was.

Gerry was a joy to be around. It was impossible to have a bad day or even a bad moment when Gerry was there. Her laugh was completely unique, and I can hear it ringing in my head whenever I think of her. I will never forget that laugh. Gerry laughed with her whole body. She was a beauty. Her ruddy cheeks, her beautiful red-gold locks, and her constant smile beamed light and love from her. Art flowed from her like lava from a volcano. She wrote magnificent poems, but she was also a magnificent poem. Gerry was a potter, and she taught me a lot about pottery. I am blessed beyond measure to have been the recipient of many of her "cast off" pottery pieces that she did not consider good enough for public consumption. "The glaze isn't right." "There's a crack in this one." "No one will buy this." I've enjoyed these pieces and have shown them off in my home with pride for 2 decades.
Gerry raised 4 children, each with a distinct personality. They're all adults now, and there are even grandchildren, but I remember them as children. I remember her daughter Terri being mad at her mother, slamming her door, and as an act of rebellion, turning all of her wall hangings upside-down. Gerry and I thought this was a brilliant way to rebel, and we always held Terri in high regard over this. JJ (Jack) was a considerate, thoughtful child. It was Jack who has let me know about the loss of my friend, and I can see that he has inherited his mother's zest for life. Cary was an artistic soul with an independent streak, and Aaron was very young, but he always remembered me and was quick with a hug, just like his mother. Being an artist myself, I know that it's satisfying to create something that will last. Although Gerry created so many things in her life that will leave a legacy, I know her children brought her the most satisfaction.
Gerry was never a wealthy person, but despite many setbacks, she always seemed to have "enough." She was the kind of person who just made it work somehow. She was resourceful and generous, and she was adventurous. I remember a story that she told me wherein she hitchhiked (in the 70s) and ended up with a cult of some sort (that she thought was a commune.) She became trapped in this group - they wouldn't let her leave. So, she waited until night and made a run for it. She was chased by the group, but she managed to escape. (Can you imagine?) She had to fend for herself in the outdoors until she could get back to her real home. The tales that grew out of her outdoor adventures would curl your hair! 
Gerry and I started going to poetry slams together in Wilmington, NC near the water. After some coaxing, Gerry got up the nerve to share some of her poetry, and it was fire! People responded to her instantly, and a star was born. As recently as 2013 (that I can find online,) Gerry was still sharing her poetry, and was called a "masterful" poet, and she was. She really, really was. But she was masterful at everything she created. I remember a piece of pottery in the corner of her house - the head of an African woman, 2' tall, with her (pottery) arm growing out of the floor. It was perfect in every way. I asked Gerry what it was. This piece belonged in a museum, or at least up for sale, and I'm not just saying this because she was my friend. I'm saying this through the lens of an artist. Truly. Gerry told me that maybe one day she'd "do something with it." Her house was full of gorgeous art pieces that may never have seen the light of day. I remember "The Cookie Jar of Good and Evil," which had children (good ones and evil ones) climbing the jar for cookies - the occasional "evil" child stepping on a good one.
You can't sum up a life like Gerry's on paper, but I adored her, and I just can't believe that someone like that is gone. That I didn't get there in time. Cancer is a thief. Cancer stole my friend from me, and I love her.

I was sorry to hear about Gerry.  She was a real nice lady, and a friend.  She worked directly with my husband, Vern; and she was a great assistance to him and the company we all worked for (Exide Electronics).  She was a radiant presence at that factory!  I am keeping her family in my thoughts.  "Keep 'em straight up 'er", Gerry!  -Sharon Webb

OBITUARY

Geraldine Ann Hewett

August 19, 1958 – July 26, 2017

Peacock, Newnam & White Funeral and Cremation Service

Show your support

Add a Memory

Share Obituary

Get Updates

Services