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Geraldine Dixon Eddy
1932 – 2017
The extraordinary rich life of Geraldine Dixon Eddy will be memorialized at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Pensacola, 9888 Pensacola Blvd, Pensacola, FL 32534 at 2 p.m May 11, 2017.
Gerry passed April 22, 2017 at the age of 84 of a massive heart attack. Her death was unanticipated as she had survived many medical emergencies including botched gallbladder surgery in 1991 which nearly killed her, a stroke in 1994, and surgery for stomach cancer in 2005 at which time her entire stomach was removed. She chose at that time to have neither radiation nor chemotherapy. Despite this medical history she rode her recumbent tricycle another 12 years; in fact, two days before she died she and Bob rode 13 miles.
Gerry died as she wanted: quickly and without significant pain.
Gerry was born October 9, 1932 in Montgomery, Alabama and grew up in College Park, Georgia. In 1952, she earned a BA from Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia with a double major in Theatre and English Literature. After her youngest child reached kindergarten age she earned an MA in library science from the University of Michigan. She was a school librarian until 1993 serving schools in Detroit, Michigan; Bought Hills, NY; and for 20 years in Aurora, Colorado.
In 1954 Gerry married Robert Miles Eddy, who was a student at Drew Seminary in Madison, NJ. In 1956, she moved with him to serve the Methodist Church in North Creek, New York where their first child, Lee, was born. The next year they moved to Ft. Johnson, NY. In 1958 they moved to Dayton, Ohio where, while still a Methodist minister on special assignment, Bob worked for the American Friends Service Committee. In Dayton, their second daughter Pam and their son Miles were born. Bob became a Unitarian Universalist minister in 1963 and Gerry moved with him as he served churches in Farmington, MI; Schenectady, NY and Denver, CO.
In 1993 Gerry retired and traveled with Bob as he served interim ministries in Indianapolis, Indiana; Adelaide, Australia; Denver, CO and Pensacola, FL among others. In 2001 Bob was invited back to Pensacola where he served as part- time minister until 2005 when he retired and was named Minister Emeritus.
Gerry and Bob are known for their many travels including a 14-month trip around the world in 1985-86. After selling their home in Littleton, Colorado they spent four years of full-time RV-ing. When asked where they lived, she would say, “Home was where we parked it.”
Gerry's intense curiosity led her to explore a great many ideas and subjects in depth including fossils, geology, flowers, birds, Spanish, cosmology and more. She loved assembling crossword puzzles while watching the Olympics, was an avid reader of mystery novels, and enjoyed skiing and music.
Biking had a special place in Gerry's heart. She once said that she felt most truly herself on her bike. Each summer, Gerry and Bob rode around different parts of the United States (49 of the 50 states), Canada, Europe and even a couple days in Tibet. She made new friends everywhere they went. In their 40’s and 50’s they biked “fully loaded” carrying tent and sleeping bags; but, in their 60’s and later they stayed mostly with friends and in motels. After breaking her arm two years in a row, Gerry’s doctors said she should stop riding due to safety because she had osteoporosis but she insisted that she would not give up cycling. Instead, she bought a recumbent tricycle. Gerry kept an extensive log of every bike ride and it is estimated that in her life she cycled over 25,000 miles “loaded” and perhaps 50,000 miles unloaded. Gerry's last entry in her biking journal, two days before she died said, "around airport with Bob - 13.5 miles"
Gerry and Bob moved to Pensacola in 2001 when Bob became half-time minister of the UU churches in Pensacola and Valparaiso. After Bob’s retirement, they volunteered with Covenant Hospice for several years as well as remaining active in the Pensacola Unitarian Universalist Church.
In her 70’s and 80’s Gerry immersed herself in Buddhism. She attending a number of silent retreats around the country. In Pensacola, she attended the weekly English language meditation services at the Dieu De Vietnamese Temple. She was a friend, supporter and English tutor of the three nuns at the Temple. They called her "mother."
At Gerry’s cremation her Buddhist friends joined the family in a modified Buddhist “transition” ceremony.
Gerry is survived by husband Robert M. Eddy of Pensacola, FL; daughter Lee Eddy of Seattle, WA; daughter Pam Eddy and son-in-law Shawn Reynolds of Bloomington, IN; son Miles Eddy of Bloomington, IN and grandchild McCarry Reynolds of Santa Cruz, CA.
For more information or to share a story about Gerry, visit www.BobAndGerryEddy.com.
Remembrances can be made in Gerry's memory to the following organizations
American Civil Liberties Union, https://www.aclu.org/
Unitarian Universalist Church of Pensacola, FL, http://uupensacola.org/
Wesleylan College, Macon GA: http://www.wesleyancollege.edu/
Dieu De Temple, 9602 Nims Lane, Pensacola, Florida 32534. 850-477-8291
Doctors Without Borders www.doctorswithoutborders.com

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