Geraldine “Gerri” Ann Graff Pritchett, 84, of Lincoln, peacefully passed away in the early morning hours of May 25, 2024. Born May 3, 1940, in Cook, Nebraska, she was the daughter of Vivian Graff and Carl Warner.

Gerri was shuffled around and moved frequently while growing up, attending 36 different schools!  At age 3 she contracted the measles and as a result lost a great portion of her hearing.  However, these setbacks didn’t stop her spirit of ambition or desire to work while exhibiting an interest in learning for her entire life.

Throughout these early years she could be found doing both girls’ and boys’ chores such as baling hay and other farm and house work.  She had a love and connection with animals and remembers that once there were bobcats which slept on the house roof at night.  Later during the day she happened to find the bobcat kittens and they let her pet and pick them up but would run off if anyone else came near.  Another memory is of a time when a circus came to perform in the area.  When it left town the lion escaped and Gerri encountered it while on a trip to the outhouse!  Nobody else believed her, though, until her grandfather happened to see it for himself.

When she was 14 family difficulties resulted in her living with a Mennonite family for three years in Abbott, Nebraska.  It was here she learned and came to love, sewing, cooking and many other qualities which aided her in the future.  It was also during this time that she came to understand and accept Christ as her Savior.

In 1959 Gerri graduated from Nemaha High School in Nemaha, Nebraska.  Shortly after graduation she went to work at a hospital in Aurora, Nebraska and became acquainted with a Dr. Stenberg and his son who was also a doctor.  They became so impressed with her sense of nursing skills that they offered to pay her way through nursing school in Omaha.  Unfortunately she was unable to finish as about a year into her training both doctors passed away within six weeks of each other and she couldn’t afford to continue on her own.

Around 1962 Gerri, along with her grandparents and their son George, moved to Alda, Nebraska near Grand Island.  Gerri bought two acres and helped build the house where the family would live.

Besides working at the American Legion, and later at Holiday Manufacture, where her duties included welding, Gerri became interested in bowling and joined a Grand Island league where she met her future husband, LaVern Pritchett.  On June 15, 1974, they were married in St. Mary’s Church in Grand Island.

The couple moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, where Vern had a job with the VA.  Here they continued to enjoy bowling together as well as going on a number of vacations to places such as the Great Smokies, Mackinac Island, Canada, Texas and Colorado.  They also both had a love for pets and had many throughout their 45+ years of marriage.

Gerri worked at several jobs while living in Lincoln which included house cleaning, Wal-Mart and Sam’s where she wasn’t shy about driving a forklift or moving a semi truck if necessary!  After retirement in 2005 she continued to enjoy cooking, sewing, knitting and crocheting.  Everyone who has known her has been blessed by her bright smile, kindness, love and concern for others!

She was preceded in death by her husband, LaVern, parents, and seven brothers and sisters.

To honor her wishes a funeral will not be held.