Geraldine "Gerri" Vae Watts Phillippe of Grove Ridge passed away on March 9, 2020, surrounded by family.

Born May 5, 1934, to Russell and Hazel Watts, she was preceded in death by her husband, Janis Phillippe, one grandson, Asher Janis Peek, and one brother, Billie Watts.

Gerri is survived by her daughter, Lisa (Steven) Peek of Grove Ridge; one grandson, Shane (Melia) Peek of Travelers Rest, South Carolina; one granddaughter, Kendra (Jim) Harris of Junction City; two great-granddaughters, Eve and Cora Peek; and three step great-grandchildren, Seth Freeman, Tristan and Maddy Harris.

Her family brought her great joy. She devoted her life to them, known lovingly as "Mamaw."

She is also survived by three sister-in-laws, Helen Jean Watts, Beulah Williams, and Norma Jean Ashley; and a host of nieces and nephews and their families, many of whom called her "Gege."

Gerri is also survived by a multitude of friends. The family also wants to extend their gratitude to the numerous caregivers Gerri had, especially her good friend, Lisa Willoughby.

Gerri was an educator and she believed the education of the children in Casey County was very important. She was a member of the Casey County Retired Teachers Association; the Casey County Alumni Association; and was a founding member and longtime president of the Casey County Friends of Education. Thanks to that organization, thousands of dollars have gone to help the county's students pursue higher education.

She devoted her life to service in her community. She and her husband Jan were 4H leaders and remained highly involved even as their grandchildren became involved. She was the second of four generations of women to have participated in the Casey County Homemakers, which she helped found, along with her mother. Gerri was involved at the state and local levels, serving as county-wide president and the president of the Grove Ridge Homemakers for many years.

Gerri and Jan were also youth leaders at Grove Ridge Baptist Church and, county-wide, in the Casey County Baptist Association.

These volunteer efforts and the many others she contributed were what earned her the recognition to become a Kentucky Colonel.

She loved to travel and visited many states. If the wheels were turning, Gerri was ready to go, with the directions in her head.

For the last 20 years, she has been a member of Middleburg Baptist Church, where she became known as the "cookie lady" to the many children fed there on Wednesday nights. She took pride in being able to serve the Lord, continuing to do so, even as her health began declining, keeping her homebound. Despite that, her mind remained sharp, a feat that surprised and impressed doctors regularly. This was likely helped by her love of word searches and her daily game shows.

Gerri loved to create, from quilting, to scrapbooking, to making soap. In her later years, She devoted countless hours to making items for shoeboxes as part of Operation Christmas Child, even when she no longer was able to physically go and pack the boxes.

She loved her home on Grove Ridge, where she spent the majority of her 85 years on this earth. She knew the land, having worked it, first as a farmer's daughter and later by farming it together with her husband, as well as creating her own little garden of beautiful flowers.

Grove Ridge Baptist Church Cemetery will be the final resting place for Gerri's body, but all who know her know that her spirit is with the Lord. No doubt, as she took her final breath, she heard the words, "Well done, my good and faithful servant. Welcome home."

Visitation will be held 5:00 P.M. till 8:00 on Wednesday March 11 ^th , 2020 at Bartle Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral Services will be held 1:00 P.M. on Thursday March 12 ^th , 2020 at Bartle Funeral Home Chapel. Rev. Curtis Brock and Rev. Ronnie Haste officiating. Burial will be in the Grove Ridge Cemetery.

In lieu of flower memorials may be made to The Gideon's International or Operation Christmas Child.