Geraldine Anne Zeljeznjak

Geraldine was born February 11, 1930 in Lititz, Pennsylvania. There as a young girl, she loved to roller skate to the local gas station where her late father Vernon Lehn worked. Vernon and her late mother Eva Lehn would take Gerry to sing at the local VFW’s. Then from 1948 to 1949 she worked as a Tube Dispenser and Settler at the RCA Factory. Then her adventurous spirit led her to join the Women’s Army Corps. Her specialty being cryptography that would take her overseas to Germany, where she would meet and later marry her late husband Joseph Zeljeznjak, Jr., a thirty-five year veteran of the Navy.

While stationed in Virginia they raised a family of six children, three girls and three boys. Gerry loved being a mother and had a home where all the neighborhood kids loved to be. She was a great cook and loved to baked lots of things like Sticky Buns, Shoofly Pie and Moravian Sugar Cake. One of her best dishes was chicken and dumplings. One of her jobs included baking and cooking at local school cafeteria’s.

Her greatest love was her family and she would help them in any way she could!

She was preceded in death by her husband Joseph Zeljeznjak Jr., and her three sons Joseph D. Zeljeznjak, Stephen D. Zeljeznjak and David B. Zeljeznjak.

Those left to cherish her memory are her sister Melinda “Lindy” Hartsough husband Rick and son Scott and her family and extended family in Pennsylvania. Her three daughters Theresa Zeljeznjak, Christina Zeljeznjak and Kathryn Zeljeznjak and John Lee Weigle who was like a son to her; daughter-in-law Anne Glenn-Zeljeznjak; grandchildren Kathryn Bryan-Turner and husband Steven, Caleb Bryan and his wife Cristina, Courtney Dozier and husband Nate, Stephanie Zeljeznjak, Sandro Martinez, Antonio Martinez, Sasha Martinez and Orianna Cepeda. Last but not least her great grandchildren, Sophia and Emmie Dozier, Sylenea and Brayden Martinez-James, Antonio and Stefan Martinez, Caleb, Chase and Connor Bryan.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday, April 28, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at Rosewood-Kellum Funeral Home 601 N. Witchduck Road, Virginia Beach.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Wednesday, April 29, 10:00 am at the funeral home. Interment with military honors will follow at Rosewood Memorial Park.

Friends may offer condolences at www.kellumfuneralhome.com