Geraldine M Dodson

Celebration of Life Service for Geraldine M. "Gerry" Dodson will be held on Wednesday, October 18, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege, Nebraska with Pastor Tom Thompson officiating.  Interment will be held in the Moses Hill Cemetery in Phelps County, Nebraska.

Geraldine Mary "Gerry" Dodson, 85 years of age, of Gothenburg, Nebraska (formerly of Loomis, Nebraska) passed away on Saturday, October 14, 2017 at the Hilltop Estates in Gothenburg.  On August 24, 1932, as the dust clouds swirled over the Nebraska prairie signaling the economic struggles of the Great Depression, Ted S. and Mary Georgia (Anderson) Hill welcomed their first child into the world on the family farm north of Bloomington in Franklin County, Nebraska.  Gerry was baptized in the little eight-sided Congregational Church in Naponee, Nebraska.  She received her primary education in rural Franklin County, and then graduated from Bloomington High School with the class of 1951. The eldest of five children, Ted and Mary watched their daughter grow into a young woman.  In January of 1954, she was united in marriage to Bill Edward Dodson.

Bill and Gerry's lives were blessed by six children:  James, Joni, Janet, Barbara, Jeffrey, and Jane.  Their children became their lives, while building their land leveling company in Loomis, Nebraska.  Gerry devoted her life to caring for the needs of her large family.  She also assisted Bill with the family business.  Gerry was also employed by the Phelps Memorial Health Center for several years prior to her retirement.

As the years passed by, they welcomed numerous grandchildren, and great-grandchildren into their lives.  In January of 2004, Gerry and Bill celebrated their 50 ^th Wedding Anniversary.  Her favorite past-time was reading, and she loved to travel with Bill to Colorado, and Idaho to visit family.  Gerry was preceded in death by her husband, Bill on July 16, 2004.

Gerry continued to live in their family home in Loomis, until her failing health caused her to make her home at the Christian Homes Care Community in Holdrege in 2012.  In May of 2017, she moved to Hilltop Estates in Gothenburg, where she resided until her peaceful passing.

Besides her parents, and her husband, Bill; Gerry was preceded in death by one granddaughter, April Eschen; sisters:  Barbara Ann Hill in infancy, and Dorothy Dodson; brother, Kenny Hill; brothers-in-law:  Raymond Dodson and his two wives, Ruth and Evelyn, Duane "Zeke" Dodson and his wife, Evelyn, Allen Dodson and his wife, Delores, Glen Dodson, and Ralph Dodson and his wife, Betty; sisters-in-law:  Gladys Faye Dodson at the age of two, and Twyla Dahlgren and her husband, Orville.

Gerry leaves to celebrate her life; her six children:  Jim Dodson of Ridgecrest, California; Joni Hurlocker and her husband, Bob of Winterville, North Carolina; Janet Fitz and her husband, Steve of Broken Bow, Nebraska; Barbara Clason of Holdrege; Jeff Dodson of Holdrege; and Jane Dodson of Gothenburg; 15 grandchildren:  Bradley, Melissa, Kimberly, and Thomas Dodson; Jessica, Marcy, and Andrew Hurlocker; Ashley Bader; Beth Edmonds; Ian Fitz; Mary McDermott; Nicholas Dodson; Michael Eschen; Andrea Heinen; and Kailey Dodson; 27 great-grandchildren; brother, Howard Hill and his wife, Bonnie of Grove, Oklahoma; sisters-in-law:  Margaret Hill of Williamsburg, Virginia, and Betty Steinkruger and her husband, Leland of Franklin, Nebraska; brothers-in-law:  Jack Dodson and his wife, Mary Ann of Emmett, Idaho; and Dick Dodson and his wife, Barb of Holdrege; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, October 17, 2017 from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.

A memorial has been established in Gerry's honor, and will be designated at a later date.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.