Geraldine “Gerri” Bannon Kolich

Mrs. Geraldine June (Kieffer) Bannon Kolich, 88, died on November 29, 2016 in West Orange. A Funeral Mass will be offered in Our Lady of the Lake Church, Verona on Saturday, December 3 at 11 am. Visiting in the Prout Funeral Home, (www.proutfuneralhome.com) 370 Bloomfield Avenue, Verona on Thursday from 6 to 8 pm and Friday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 pm.

Born in Trenton, Mrs. Kolich moved to Verona in 1953. She graduated with a BA from Trenton State College (The College of NJ), her Masters from the Newark State Teachers College (Kean University) and started her career with children as the Pre-School Director for the Community Nursery School in Verona. She went on to teach Physical Education in the elementary grades for the Fairfield Board of Education from 1970 to 1993. During summer break she worked for many years at the Verona Recreation Department and was the founder of the Summer Tot Lot program.

Gerri was a voracious reader and active swimmer all her life. In her retirement Gerri travelled and enjoyed the outdoors, particularly gardening, bird watching and walking in Verona Park. Throughout her life nothing made her happier than to spend time with her ever-growing family. Her happiest place, other than maybe the beach, was a bleacher, anywhere, cheering on her children and grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her husbands, Robert J. Bannon & Anthony F. Kolich, her son, Anthony R. Kolich, and daughter, Barbara Kolich Kistner as well as her brother Darwin (Bill) Kieffer II.

She is survived by her children, Robert, Timothy, Kevin, Brian, Terence Bannon, Lynn Bannon Cummings, Kathleen Kolich Rosenfeld, Kevin & Kenneth Kolich.
She is also survived by her daughters and sons in law, Julie Bannon, Cindy Bannon, Kathleen Bannon, Guy Cummings, Gary Kistner, Donna Kolich, Cara Bannon, her grandchildren, Cory & Michael Bannon, Tommy Bannon, Kelly & Alison Bannon, Colin, Molly & Patrick Cummings, Timothy & Ryan Kistner, Michael & Matthew Rosenfeld, Donny, Kyle & Jesse Kolich, Jaime & Brett Kolich, Evan Bannon, Susan Charnes, (their spouses Laura, Jenna, Rivera and Keith) and her great grandson, Brendan Kistner. In lieu of flowers, donations to Verona Library, c/o Cheryl Ashley, 17 Gould Street, Verona NJ 07044 would be appreciated.