Obituary for Geraldine J Coombs
Geraldine Jaqueline Clark, Taylor, Ferrell and lastly, Coombs aka Gerry and “GG”, was born on September 19, 1933 in Providence, Rhode Island to George and Bertha Clark. She had three siblings, George Jr., Bernard and Robert. She and her siblings experienced some rough times when George and Bertha separated, rendering them to live in various group homes, which had a profound impact on her life’s perspectives and missions as she matured. George remarried and began a new family in Connecticut with his new wife Ethel. They had six children, Georgianna, Charles, Arthur, Diane, Carol and Elaine, who readily embraced their brothers and sister from George’s first marriage. In the mid 1950’s, Gerry met her husband, Walter L. Taylor, Sr. in Boston, MA and they had a son, Walter Jr. on May 6, 1957, just in time for Mother’s Day! Unfortunately, their marriage ended in 1965. She later married Lawrence Ferrell and had her second son Lawrence Leonard Ferrell on September 20, 1967, born one day after her birthday. What a great birthday present to last a lifetime! Unfortunately, Lawrence passed away and Gerry found herself with two boys to raise in Boston.
Gerry was a highly skilled a diligent employee of the Honeywell Corporation for more than 30 years before she retired, but along the way she worked extra shifts and additional jobs to make ends meet to afford her sons a solid home and education, because she valued education as a way of future economic opportunity. She taught her sons to read and write as soon as they could walk and talk, knowing the value of intelligence and communication skills. She taught her sons core family values, self-respect, respect for women, ethics, integrity, loyalty, diligence, and GOD!
Years later, Gerry met the man of her dreams, Kenneth Coombs, in Mashpee, on Cape Cod! As they were both much older and widowed with grown children, they had a whirlwind romance, much to the delight of her sons, who has seen their mother struggle in unfulfilling relationships and alone for much too long. Ken really put a gleam in her eyes and treated her like the queen she was and loved her every moment of every day. They shared Native American heritage and he was a long-standing educator and Principal and a school named for him in Mashpee! Gerry couldn’t have been happier! The love of her life and fulfillment of her dreams had truly come to fruition! When Ken passed away, Gerry was devasted. She had reunited with her mother Bertha in Mashpee and was providing support, but her mother was very old and ailing. Larry and his wife, Linda Jennings Ferrell took Gerry and Bertha in their home in Virginia to care for them until Bertha passed away a short time later.
Living in Crewe, Virginia, Gerry had the opportunity to have a full family again! Linda and Larry had two young children, Lawrence Jr. (Mookie) and Vanita (Nita), who demanded the love and attention of Grandma every day for years to come. Gerry created a day care at the home, because she loved children and impacted their upbringing with love and education, something she missed as a child. Gerry spent many years taking care of the children of Crewe, watching them grow and showering them with love, util she became unable, due to breast cancer for the second time. She was especially fond of the Coleman girls, twins Alonia, Aquiria and older sister, Taiyana, who became her grandchildren as well.
Larry and Linda moved to Petersburg for employment pursuits. Mookie and Vanita were caring for Gerry and Linda’s wonderful father Albert back in Crewe, along with Larry and Linda from a distance. When Gerry became unable to care for herself any longer, battling breast cancer and dementia, she moved in with Larry and Linda in 2017. Albert also was moved into Larry and Linda’s Petersburg home in 2018. Albert eventually returned to Crewe until his passing in 2019. Gerry was dotingly cared for by Linda and Larry until she went to be with the Lord on August 11, 2021. Gerry is survived in love by two sons, Lawrence L. Ferrell Sr. (Linda) and Walter L. Taylor (Keisha); grandsons, Walter L. Taylor, III and Lawrence Ferrell Jr.; great grandchildren, Zaniya, Christian, Carter and Lawryn; granddaughter, Vanita Ferrell Johnson (Eric); great grandchildren, Layla, Julien and Jasion; sisters, Diane Baldwin and Carol Rich; extended family and friends.
Public Viewing: Monday, August 16, 2021 from 12-7pm at Hawkes Funeral Home, Blackstone
Graveside Services: Tuesday, August 17, 2021 at 1pm at Jackson Cemetery, Crewe.
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Gerry was a highly skilled a diligent employee of the Honeywell Corporation for more than 30 years before she retired, but along the way she worked extra shifts and additional jobs to make ends meet to afford her sons a solid home and education, because she valued education as a way of future economic opportunity. She taught her sons to read and write as soon as they could walk and talk, knowing the value of intelligence and communication skills. She taught her sons core family values, self-respect, respect for women, ethics, integrity, loyalty, diligence, and GOD!
Years later, Gerry met the man of her dreams, Kenneth Coombs, in Mashpee, on Cape Cod! As they were both much older and widowed with grown children, they had a whirlwind romance, much to the delight of her sons, who has seen their mother struggle in unfulfilling relationships and alone for much too long. Ken really put a gleam in her eyes and treated her like the queen she was and loved her every moment of every day. They shared Native American heritage and he was a long-standing educator and Principal and a school named for him in Mashpee! Gerry couldn’t have been happier! The love of her life and fulfillment of her dreams had truly come to fruition! When Ken passed away, Gerry was devasted. She had reunited with her mother Bertha in Mashpee and was providing support, but her mother was very old and ailing. Larry and his wife, Linda Jennings Ferrell took Gerry and Bertha in their home in Virginia to care for them until Bertha passed away a short time later.
Living in Crewe, Virginia, Gerry had the opportunity to have a full family again! Linda and Larry had two young children, Lawrence Jr. (Mookie) and Vanita (Nita), who demanded the love and attention of Grandma every day for years to come. Gerry created a day care at the home, because she loved children and impacted their upbringing with love and education, something she missed as a child. Gerry spent many years taking care of the children of Crewe, watching them grow and showering them with love, util she became unable, due to breast cancer for the second time. She was especially fond of the Coleman girls, twins Alonia, Aquiria and older sister, Taiyana, who became her grandchildren as well.
Larry and Linda moved to Petersburg for employment pursuits. Mookie and Vanita were caring for Gerry and Linda’s wonderful father Albert back in Crewe, along with Larry and Linda from a distance. When Gerry became unable to care for herself any longer, battling breast cancer and dementia, she moved in with Larry and Linda in 2017. Albert also was moved into Larry and Linda’s Petersburg home in 2018. Albert eventually returned to Crewe until his passing in 2019. Gerry was dotingly cared for by Linda and Larry until she went to be with the Lord on August 11, 2021. Gerry is survived in love by two sons, Lawrence L. Ferrell Sr. (Linda) and Walter L. Taylor (Keisha); grandsons, Walter L. Taylor, III and Lawrence Ferrell Jr.; great grandchildren, Zaniya, Christian, Carter and Lawryn; granddaughter, Vanita Ferrell Johnson (Eric); great grandchildren, Layla, Julien and Jasion; sisters, Diane Baldwin and Carol Rich; extended family and friends.
Public Viewing: Monday, August 16, 2021 from 12-7pm at Hawkes Funeral Home, Blackstone
Graveside Services: Tuesday, August 17, 2021 at 1pm at Jackson Cemetery, Crewe.
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