Geraldine Rhoda Fumerton (Nee Stewart) passed away quietly at home in the early morning of Saturday Oct 31, 2020.
Geri was born May 18th, 1931 to Naomi Janetta Stewart in Winnipeg Man, and adopted and raised by her maternal Grandparents Archibald and Minnie Victoria (Stong) Stewart in Eagle River ON. Leaving home at 14 she moved to Dryden for work. Over the next several years she waitressed, worked in factories, in retail and for the government. She found her niche in waitressing at high end resorts and was on her way from Bermuda to Jasper Park Lodge in Alberta when she paused in Eagle River to visit family and friends and encountered Grant Fumerton at a dance. They hit it off and the end result was that the train ticket to Jasper was never used. They married in September, 1955, had children, built houses together, built a business (Dryden Pharmacy), gardened, raised chickens and cows and travelled whenever they could, which was not as often as they would have liked. After Grant died in 1989 Geri continued travelling, with friends, family or on her own.
Along with travelling Geri loved her hobbies. She played bridge, created pottery and paintings and bird watched wherever she was, Arizona in the winter, at her house on the river or out at camp in the summer. Her house was filled with art and friends.
Geri was well known in the area for her pottery creations, and was one of the originators of the annual handcrafters market as well as being very active in the local and regional crafters organisations. She volunteered her time, energy and enthusiasm with the Reform and Conservative political parties locally, serving as local representative to the national conferences several times. She was also an active member of the Rebekah Lodge, the Oxdrift Women’s Institute, the Spanish Club in Mesa Arizona and the local birdwatchers.
Her children and grandchildren were her primary love and she was there after school, before sports and activities, feeding them, loving them and encouraging them.
The camp on Thunder Lake was her very favourite place to be. Geri spent the summers there surrounded by her children and grandchildren as they all enjoyed and explored the lake, beach and surrounding forest. Throughout her life she loved the feeling of sand between her toes.
Geri got to stay in her own home up to the very end thanks to the wonderful care she received from her son Brooke with help from her grandson Blair.
She will be missed by her children Nancy Fumerton (Bruce Godin) and Brooke Fumerton, her beloved grandchildren Christopher Godin (Liz), Blair Fumerton, Brittany Fumerton (Dustin Lupien), Genevieve Godin, Benjamin and Bryce Fumerton as well as her Great Grandchildren Jack and Benjamin Lupien and Xaia Thorburn who were the joy of her last years.
Geri was predeceased by her mother Naomi Janetta (Nettie) Deets, her husband Archie Grant Fumerton and her oldest daughter Janis Lynn Fumerton.
A Funeral Service to celebrate Geri’s life will be held Friday, November 6th, 2020 in First United Church with Alice Bloomfield officiating. Interment will follow in the Dryden Cemetery.
Should friends desire donations to Princess Court DECO may be made through the Stevens Funeral Home, P.O. Box 412, Dryden P8N 2Z1. Condolences may be posted on Stevens Funeral Homes Facebook page or at www.stevensfuneralhomes.ca.
