Melinda (Linda) Marcella Doorack Gerardy
Thursday, November 27th, 2014, Linda lost her brave battle with lung cancer and passed peacefully to her Lord surrounded by her family and with her husband at her side while in the excellent care of the de Greeff Hospice House in St. Louis. She will be dearly missed by her husband of 47 years Charles (Chuck) Gerardy, her children-Scott and Jennifer Gerardy, Neall and Gwendolyn West, Nathan and Deanna Gerardy, Elizabeth and Juan Medina, and Anthony Gerardy as well as her grandchildren-Coby, Jordan, Camryn, Winnifred, Finian, Zella, Oak, Daen, Kaia, Irelyn, Gabrielle and Nora. She is also the beloved sister of Leonard Doorack, Andrea Doorack, Manta and Tommy Prosser, and Mary and John Hamilton and beloved aunt to numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by per parents, brothers Robert and Allan Doorack, and sisters Eleanor Ruskoski, Evelyn Zufall and Anna Fults.
Linda was born to Laverna Belle Doorack (nee Wheeler) and Andrew Joseph Doorack January 26th, 1947. She was the 8th of 10 children, 3 boys and seven girls. She grew up in St. Louis, MO, attended St. Mary Magdalene Parish and Elementary School in Brentwood, Ursuline Academy and Mercy High School, and Nursing School at St. John’s Hospital School of Nursing in Springfield, MO. While in Springfield, she met the love of her life, Charles Wayne Gerardy and they were married six months later in St. Louis, August 19th, 1967.
As a teenager, she was so beautiful, she was asked to be a model for a department store in St. Louis. To make money for nursing school, she also worked in a donut shop and the school cafeteria bakery. After nursing school, she worked as a nurse for 47 years in St. Louis; Springfield, MO; Memphis, TN; Jacksonville, FL; Kansas City, MO; Ft. Smith, AR; and Westminster, CO north of Denver; most recently in the medical step-down unit at St. Anthony’s Medical Center in St. Louis for 15 years where she retired in December 2012.
Linda was widely known as kind, loving, accepting, caring, generous and always ready to help by all who knew her. She intensely loved her husband and children and was deeply enamored with each and every grandchild.
Her favorite quote is attributed to Mother Teresa.
“People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”
We will celebrate her life with a Burial Mass at 1 p.m., Saturday, December 6th, 2014 at her current Parish – Assumption Catholic Church, 4725 Mattis Road, St. Louis, MO 63128, followed by a luncheon in the church basement.
In lieu of flowers, please consider sending any memorial contributions to either the Cancer Support Group of Greater St. Louis, 1058 Old Des Peres Rd., St. Louis, MO 63131 or the de Greeff Hospice House, St. Anthony’s Medical Center, 10024 Kennerly Rd., St. Louis, MO 63128 or other charitable organization of your choice.