Peabody - Geraldine “Geri” Jenkins 91, passed peacefully on April 11, 2023 at Kaplan Family Hospice House, Danvers, MA after a period of declining health.

Born in Lawrence, MA on August 11, 1931 to Antonio (Tony) Rapa and Maria (Petrella) Rapa, she was educated in Lawrence schools. She went on to study nursing at St. John’s Hospital in Lowell, MA. In 1955, Geri and her sister Thelma (Rapa) Hodges and another nurse, Angeline Calitri, along with several others from Lawrence, moved to Naples, FL to become the 3 Pioneer Nurses of the newly opened Naples Community Hospital. Deciding she needed more “action” than she could get in Florida, Geri moved back to Massachusetts to go to school in Fall River, MA to become a Nurse Anesthetist, again a pioneer in her field. She had a long career as a Nurse Anesthetist at the Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA for 35 years until her retirement. Geri was also a 30-year double breast cancer survivor.

In the early 60’s, Geri met the love of her life, William “Bill” Jenkins while they were both on a Caribbean Cruise. They married on August 4, 1962 and enjoyed nearly 50 years of marriage until Bill’s passing on June 24, 2012. Geri & Bill enjoyed traveling the world, having visited nearly every continent except Antarctica and Asia.

Geri was a voracious reader, a masterful knitter and a gourmet cook. Family and friends alike benefited from the bags of books she would pass on to others, the many scarves and baby sets she knitted, and of course her cooking that covered a range of cuisines, especially Italian. After retirement, Geri and Bill spent a great deal of time at the Peabody Council on Aging Center both enjoying the Center’s offerings and as volunteers. Because of her love of travel, Geri coordinated day and multi-day get-away trips for Center members, Bingo trips to Foxwoods, called Bingo at the Center and was a volunteer for the Friends of PCOA.

Geri was number 6 of 7 children born to Tony and Maria. She would tell everyone she was the baby until her sister Bev came along 14 years later. She never hesitated to tell everyone she hated her baby sister who displaced her as the spoiled one, even in Hospice when she was too wea to have a conversation, she loudly and firmly let everyone know this. In later years, Geri and her sister were best friends. She never had children of her own but treated all her nieces and nephews with great love and generosity.

Surviving Geri are her sister, Beverly and her husband, John Faro of Danville, NH and Thelma Hodges of Naples, FL and many nieces and nephews. Geri was predeceased by her husband, her parents and her siblings, Sandra Bonaccorsi, Louis Rapa, Felicia Rapa and Rita Rapa.

ARRANGEMENTS: Visiting hours will be held at the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn Street, Peabody, Saturday morning April 22, 2023 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. followed by a service in the funeral home at 12:00 p.m. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. Burial in the Puritan Lawn Memorial Park, Peabody. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to Friends of PCOA, 79 Central Street, Peabody, MA 01960. For directions and online guestbook please visit www.ccbfuneral.com.