Geraldine Mary Hebert

Geraldine, Gerry, Gers, was an interesting and interested personality. She was curious, knowledgeable, stylish, charming, elegant, witty and gently engaging. A wonderful wife and mother and ideal confidant to her many friends, Gerry was also the perfect person to travel with. She and her devoted partner of 56 years, Mark Foley, spent many seasons enjoying canoeing and camping in the wilderness of Algonquin Park before expanding to adventures around the world. Her ability to connect with new people wherever she went was a constant source of delight on their travels.

Gerry was a talented and ambitious gardener and delightful cook and baker. The family home on Fireside Crescent was curated precisely over forty years. Each floorboard, piece of furniture, and work of art on the walls was chosen meticulously to suit Geraldine’s high aesthetic standards. She had an eclectic employment history, ranging from working as a grade-school teacher to the Executive Director of Parks and Recreation Canada. She worked on the Investing in Women’s Worth and Media Awareness projects. She taught English and math at Algonquin College. She was an active member of the Ottawa Orchid Society and the Stephen Lewis Foundation, and she volunteered to teach English to new Canadians.

There were many fine days amidst the difficult ones on the long journey from her renal cancer diagnosis 27 months ago until her quiet passing. Geraldine faced them all with courage, supported by love and care from Mark, her cherished sons, loyal friends and family, and the wonderful teams of The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre and Palliative Care department.

The close attention she received over her last weeks from the tireless staff at Bruyere Health Saint Vincent Hospital’s Palliative Unit was truly excellent and moving to witness.

As well as Mark, she is survived by her sons Dorian (Sarah McDonald) and Stephen (Lisa Hebert), her brothers Brian (Dominque) and Michael (Debbie) Hebert.

A beautiful and warm person, smart, caring, and charismatic, Geraldine will be sorely missed.

Details of a celebration of life will be shared at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Geraldine’s memory to Bruyere’s Saint Vincent Palliative Care Unit.