Geraldine Eden (13 Aug 1951 - 19 Dec 2018)

In loving memory of Geraldine Eden who sadly passed away on 19th December 2018

Gerrie was born to Alfreda - usually known as Freda - and Alan Wright in the city of Calgary in the Canadian province of Alberta on Monday 13th August 1951. She had an elder sister, Lynne and was named Geraldine after her uncle Gerald, her father’s broth-er. The two brothers were very close.

Her father, Alan was in the Royal Canadian Air Force, and consequently the family moved around several towns in Canada as he was posted to different stations, before eventually going to live in Montréal in the predominantly French speaking province of Québec.

Sadly, tragedy entered Gerrie’s life for the first time on 11th August 1953, just two days before her 2nd birthday. Her father’s plane crashed, and he was killed. His brother Gerald and his wife, Joyce supprorted Freda and her children through this tragic time, but evenso, it must have been a great struggle for her with two very young children.

Freda was British by birth, and so later that year, she returned to the UK with her two daughters, going back to her roots in West Kirby in The Wirral. Consequently, Gerrie attended West Kirby Grammar School.

Gerrie was intelligent and did very well at the school. She loved reading and was particularly interested in history and in music, and acting in the school plays. She was very popular with both the staff and her peers and made many friends as a result, enjoying a lively social life.

When she left school after completing her ‘A’ levels, Gerrie started work with NatWest bank. But for a short while, she balanced this perhaps rather more staid and serious part of her life with be-ing a disco dancer for a friend who worked as a DJ. It must have been great fun for her.

She met Geoff Eden and they married in St Bartholomew’s Church in the village of Thurstaston in the Wirral on Saturday 17th October 1975. Gerrie was 24. It was a wonderful marriage. Gerrie and Geoff had a wide circle of friends, both from their work, but also from the cricket, rugby and golf clubs of which Geoff was a member in the nearby village of Caldy. They both loved entertaining and they enjoyed a busy social life as a result.

With the birth of Greg and Sylvia, Gerrie and Geoff had a wonderful future to look forward to. Their lives were full of hopes and plans for the future with their much loved family.

Sadly, this idyllic family life came to a sudden end when tragedy struck again twice. Firstly, in 1988, Gerrie’s mother, Freda passed away; and just two years later, Geoff also passed, quite suddenly and unexpectedly from a heart attack. He was only 46.

She was an immensely proud mum of course, always proud of her children, always taking an interest and encouraging them in everything that they decided to get involved with. Greg and Sylvia were her total focus. But when they both went off to university, it gave Gerrie the opportunity to explore a new chapter in her life for herself.

She had previously taken the children to Turkey on holiday, and it was whilst she was there that she met Murat. She and Murat became close friends over time. And so with her children now forg-ing their own ways in the world, Gerrie decided to emigrate to Turkey and to work alongside Mu-rat in his restaurant, helping him to run it - and of course to enjoy the sunshine!

She learned Turkish and got a great deal of enjoyment from meeting people from many different countries when they were on holiday and came to eat in the restaurant. And the waiters in the restaurant doted on her. They looked upon her as their second mum. Though they never seemed able to master the name, Gerrie - to them, she became Cherry instead.

Gerrie had many very happy years in Turkey. If she wasn’t in the restaurant, you could often find her sat on the balcony, sipping a drink. It was a wonderful lifestyle that she deserved after so much heartache.

When she developed rheumatoid arthritis, a very painful and debilitating condition, Murat was there to help and support her. Being so far away, her family appreciated this very much.

With the birth of her grandchildren, Abigail in 2012 and Alex in 2017, Gerrie came back to the UK more frequently in order to spend time with them. And over the last 8 years she was welcomed into the communities of Timberland and Woodhall Spa. Around 18 months ago, Gerrie decided to return to the UK on a permanent basis, settling near to Sylvia in Woodhall Spa.

Gerrie was a strong minded and independent lady and she certainly didn’t suffer fools gladly. But she was totally supportive of her family. She would always help them if at all possible.

Sadly, in December, she was suddenly taken ill and rushed to Lincoln County Hospital, where a few days later, on 19th December, she passed away from the combined effects of an embolism and a ruptured colon.