Geraldine L. Ihde, passed peacefully to her home in Heaven Thursday, March 14, 2013.
Born in Milwaukee, raised in New York and spending most of her married life in Mountain Lakes, N.J., Geraldine was a resident of Ephrata for the past 11 years and was most recently residing at The Ephrata Manor. She follows her husband, Frederick J. Ihde, who passed away in 2007.
Surviving are all of her eight children: Tom of Virginia Beach, Va.; Mark of East Stroudsburg; Louise of Passaic, N.J.; Rita of Emporia, Kan.; Dan of Bakersfield, Calif.; Theresa of Oak Ridge, N.J.; David of Ephrata; and Arthur Steven of Emporia, Kan.
Locally, Geraldine was a member of Our Mother of Perpetual Help Church, Ephrata. In New Jersey, she and her husband were among the founding families of St. Catherine's in Mountain Lakes. In her younger years, Geraldine worked as a news correspondent and editor for major northern New Jersey newspapers: The Daily Record, Star Ledger and The Citizen. She translated books into Braille for the Braille Foundation. Geraldine was active in her church starting the "folk" mass many years before it became normal to have music during service other than traditional hymns. She volunteered at the Mountain Lakes school system, was involved in the beginning years of The League of Women Voters, created a reading program named "story hour" for pre-school children in two libraries, organized and ran a hiking club, enjoyed bowling in her league and gardening in her yard of the oasis community of Mountain Lakes, N.J.
Geraldine had way too many grandchildren and great-grandchildren to list. Perhaps her greatest accomplishment was raising her own eight children using only modest funds, love, and discipline, by faith and example. She always put her children first and put up with them. She was and is loved; we are blessed to have known her. Geraldine also follows many of her lifelong friends to Heaven and we will be with her again there one day. Pray for the bereaved.
A memorial service will be held at a later date. To submit an online condolence, visit scheidfuneralhome.com.