Mrs. Geraldine June (Kieffer) Bannon Kolich, 88, died on November 29, 2016 in West Orange. A Funeral Mass will be offered in Our Lady of the Lake Church, Verona on Saturday, December 3 at 11 a.m. Visiting in the Prout Funeral Home, 370 Bloomfield Avenue, Verona on Thursday from 6 to 8 pm and Friday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.
Born in Trenton, Mrs. Kolich moved to Verona in 1953. She graduated with a BA from Trenton State College (The College of New Jersey), her Masters from the Newark State Teachers College (Kean University) and started her career with children as the Pre-School Director for the Community Nursery School in Verona. She went on to teach physical education in the elementary grades for the Fairfield Board of Education from 1970 to 1993.
During summer break she worked for many years at the Verona Recreation Department and was the founder of the Summer Tot Lot program.
Gerri was a voracious reader and active swimmer all her life. In her retirement Gerri travelled and enjoyed the outdoors, particularly gardening, bird watching and walking in Verona Park. Throughout her life nothing made her happier than to spend time with her ever-growing family. Her happiest place, other than maybe the beach, was a bleacher, anywhere, cheering on her children and grandchildren.
She was predeceased by her husbands, Robert J. Bannon & Anthony F. Kolich, her son, Anthony F. Kolich, Jr. and daughter, Barbara Kolich Kistner as well as her brother Darwin (Bill) Kieffer, III. She is survived by her children, Robert, Timothy, Kevin, Brian and Terence Bannon, Lynn Bannon Cummings, Kathleen Kolich Rosenfeld, Kevin and Kenneth Kolich.
She is also survived by her daughters- and sons-in-law, Julie Bannon, Cindy Bannon, Kathleen Bannon, Guy Cummings, Gary Kistner, Donna Kolich, Cara Bannon, her grandchildren, Cory & Michael Bannon, Tommy Bannon, Kelly and Alison Bannon, Colin, Molly and Patrick Cummings, Timothy and Ryan Kistner, Michael and Matthew Rosenfeld, Donny, Kyle and Jesse Kolich, Jaime and Brett Kolich, Evan Bannon, Susan Charnes, (their spouses Laura, Jenna, Rivera and Keith) and her great grandson, Brendan Kistner.
In lieu of flowers, donations to Verona Library, c/o Cheryl Ashley, 17 Gould Street, Verona, NJ 07044 would be appreciated.
So Sad to Hear she passed, great Neighbor growing up, she will be missed, heart goes out to the Family.
Truly a great loss to Verona, but Gerri left a legacy of wonderful memories for all who knew her. My condolences to the family but enjoy the many flashbacks of that wonderful sense of humor and above all that incredible smile.