Obituary of Geraldine Bacon
Passed away on December 14 at age 78.
Predeceased by her parents, George and Ruby Grattan; brothers George (Marge) and Arthur Grattan. She is survived by her beloved husband of 42 years, Ernest Bacon; son, Terrence (Marcy); grandson, Eirnin; brother Robert (Evelyn) Grattan; cousin Pamela (Michael) McAfee; several nieces & nephews. Extended family Michael, Darlene, Michael, Jeffrey DiBona. Born in Caledonia, NY, Geri was highly devoted to her family.
Friends may call Wednesday 2-4 & 7-9 PM at Walker Brothers Funeral Home, 15 West Ave., Spencerport. Funeral Mass on Thursday time pending at Holy Ghost Church, 250 Coldwater Rd, Rochester, NY 14624.
Interment will be at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to James P. Wilmot Cancer Center, University of Rochester Medical Center, Office of Development, 300 East River Rd, Box 278996, Rochester, NY 14627 in Geri's memory.
Geraldine (Geri) Bacon was born on October 19, 1934 at home in Caledonia, NY to George and Ruby Grattan. She grew up in Belcoda, a settlement in the town of Wheatland, NY. Ruby worked as a meat cutter for Hart Store and was a homemaker, a great cook and baker. George worked at Ebsary Gypsum Mines in Wheatland. Later he worked for Kodak in emulsion making. Geri was the third of four siblings, behind George Jr.; Arthur, who died at age 4; and ahead of Robert.
Geri was a self-described country girl. She grew up in a self-sufficient family who grew their own food and had their own animals for meat. There were always a couple of cows, pigs, and chickens running around the homestead and the large garden. Geri helped with the care of the animals, daily chores, and regularly helped prepare Sunday dinner by processing one of the animals for the meal, plucking the chickens, making homemade ice cream by hand crank, and watching her mother prepare the baked goods. Growing up, she had a pet pig named "Babe" that would run loose and follow her around like a dog. In the summers the family would often go to Cape Vincent. She loved to go fishing, spend time in the sun, and get out in the boat. Geri would go with the Hardman family on their fishing trips. Jim Hardman would wake Geri early in the morning to go fishing while his own three daughters would sleep in.
She graduated from Caledonia High School in 1953. She was a member of National Honor Society and attended Girl's State. She went to work at Kodak the day after her high school graduation, working on staff as a white light film inspector. The job at Kodak enabled her to afford pursuing her fondness of cars. She and her mother frequently attended the stock car races in Fonda, NY and elsewhere with her father joining them when he was not working. She was a proud owner of first a '56 Ford and later a '59 Ford Black Galaxy 500. Geri kept her cars spotless, and her brother Bob said she "wasn't afraid to put the hammer down." Always wanting to be a racecar driver, she used to go on trips with her mother, father and sometimes brother, grandmother and uncle. It was on one of these trips that she got the chance to drive a lap around the Indianapolis Speedway.
In her 20s, the nephews started to come along. Geri was as protective of them and her younger brother, Robert as she would eventually be of her own son. She was generous with her Kodak earnings, buying them clothes, shoes, whatever they needed. She enjoyed seeing them look nice and did not begrudge them. The family loved baseball, and she and her mother were staunch supporters of the Clifton Clippers Little League team coached by her brother George Jr. She rarely missed a game and often would treat the players to ice cream. She could be serving at annual fundraising dinners for the church in Clifton.
Her brother Bob shared that he got hurt more "fighting" with Geri than he did playing four years of high school football. Despite this sibling tussling, he recalled getting into a fight on the field during a game. Geri stormed onto the field to defend him, dragging him off while threatening the other players to "knock it off!" She was at the door of the locker room to make sure he got on the bus instead of getting into further trouble.
Geri had a fondness for flowers and gardening. Her parents home had a large plot on the side of the house that she converted into a flower garden. She would create intricate designs such as a large family G or an American flag using petunias. Using exact 15-inch grids, she and her recruits (including her future husband) would plant the flowers each spring. The displays were a local site with passers-by frequently stopping to take pictures.
Geri met her eventual husband Ernest Bacon in 1960 while at Kodak. As an inspector she was strict and "by-the-book," often giving Ernie and his fellow machinists a hard time. Ernie and Geri began to date in 1963. She refused his proposal the first time, but accepted his second attempt in 1970. They could not afford a diamond, choosing to put their money into the purchase of a home on Buffalo Road in Ogden. They got married on October 3, 1970 by the Justice of the Peace in Ridgeway, NY. The couple honeymooned in New England and moved into the Buffalo Road house where they lived until 2003. Geri left Kodak in 1971 while pregnant with their only child, Terry. After his birth, she stayed at home as a homemaker and frequent school volunteer. She chaperoned numerous field trips and other school events. After her mother Ruby passed away in 1973, her father George came to live with her and her family until his passing from cancer in 1986.
After Terry's birth, the family continued to travel when possible, taking regular trips to New England and elsewhere. A family tradition was to take a vacation around Terry's birthday that combined an educational/historical location with the opportunity to ride rides at an amusement park. These trips were a highlight of her memories in later years. Christmas was always her favorite time of year. For many years, she and Bob traded off hosting responsibilities for "Grattan Christmas," bringing all of the family together to celebrate.
She was supportive of Terry's career in music, frequently traveling to attend concerts and events around the country. She and Ernie served as co-chairs of the parent group that fundraised money to send the Churchville-Chili High School Choir to Paris, France as part of the bicentennial celebration of the French Revolution. For four years she served as the stand-in "mom" for Terry's friends and colleagues while he was a student at the Eastman School of Music. On Ernie and Geri's 20th Anniversary, they were surprised by an impromptu concert by four of these friends in their living room. In December of 1995, Ernie and she joined the other families of Terry's saxophone quartet as guests at the White House. Geri rarely missed a concert that Terry, and later his wife Marcy, were involved in.
Geri was thrilled when Terry married Marcy Fetchen in 1998 with the hopes that grandchildren would soon follow. In 2003, following Ernie's second retirement, this time from Allright parking, they sold their beloved Buffalo Road home. Geri reluctantly moved to a seniors-only neighborhood in Spencerport. One of the happiest moments of her life was on December 28, 2008 when, at long last, she welcomed her only grandson, Eirnin George Bacon. Eirnin was the light of her world and she treasured every moment she got to spend with taking care of him.
Geri loved to read for relaxation. She enjoyed watching "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy" each evening after dinner. A long-time country music fan, she liked to watch reruns of older country music shows. In nice weather, she liked to sit outside with Ernie and chat with her neighbors.
Geri was kind and considerate to others. She was truly interested in the lives of those around her and was devoted to helping. A devout Catholic, she was a parishioner of Holy Ghost Church in Gates, NY and worked with the RCIA and served as co-chair of the Thanksgiving Appeal with Ernie for two years. In her final days, she continued to be concerned for the care of others. In spite of her illness, she touched the lives of the doctors and nurses that took care of her.
Geri's lasting tribute is her devotion to family; her parents, her brothers and their children, her church, the American Legion, Terry's friends, and, most importantly to her husband of 42 years, her son, her daughter-in-law, and her grandson.
