Ursula Jurgensmeyer Geratz

Ulla was born on April 5, 1936, in Herford, Germany. Her parents were Pastor Gottfried Juergensmeyer and Gertude Juergensmeyer, nee Schmidt. In 1939 her family moved to Frankfurt, Germany where she graduated from high school followed by three years as a customer service agent for Lufthansa Airlines.

In July 1961 she married her husband of 44 years, Dr. Joachim Dieter Geratz, in Frankfurt, Germany. In November of that year, she emigrated to the United States through the Port of New York on the passenger ship, Bremen. She joined her husband in Chapel Hill, North Carolina where she lived until 2018. Ulla earned a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Relations and a minor in Sociology in 1982 from the University of North Carolina.

Ulla had many interests and was active in several clubs in Chapel Hill. She loved her house plants and making flower arrangements and always had a vase of fresh flowers on the table. She enjoyed cooking and was an ace in baking. These talents led her to join the Lake Forest Garden Club in Chapel Hill and in her early years with the Kaffeeklatsch, a group of German women that gathered for conversation, coffee and German kuchen and torten. She also was active in two bridge clubs and was a member of the Chapel Hill Chapter of the Philanthropic Educational Organization where she held several positions in the organization which helps women pursue educational goals.

Her most memorable and long-lasting group was the Debauchees, a group of five lady friends from the neighborhood that gathered regularly to celebrate their birthdays and the holidays.

Ulla was proud of her German heritage and Lutheran upbringing. Her father and grandfather were Lutheran Pastors. She enjoyed German holiday traditions, especially Easter and Christmas and exposed her sons to the German language, folk songs, carols, and German food.

Ulla also loved to travel with her family and later in life with friends. Family trips to the Carolina coast, Caribbean islands and back to both East and West Germany were common. She traveled to far flung places including India, Russia, walking up to Machu Picchu in Peru, and to South Africa where she met Reverend Tutu.

Ulla Geratz is survived by three sons, Dirk Geratz and his spouse, Terrence Averill, of Annapolis, Maryland, Jens Geratz of Annapolis, Maryland and Haiko Geratz of Dobbs Ferry, New York; former daughters-in-law Jean Haydon of Raleigh, North Carolina and Susan Geratz of Kings Mountain, North Carolina; her grandchildren, Niklas Haydon, Madeline Nestor and her spouse, Garrett Nestor, Peter Geratz, Claire Geratz, her great grandson, Ford Nestor; sister-in-law Margot Juergensmeyer and cousins, nieces and nephews in Germany; as well many friends in Annapolis, Chapel Hill and Germany.

She was predeceased by her parents Gottfried and Gertrude Juergensmeyer, and her four brothers Hans-Martin, Konrad, Ernst-Joachim and Gottfried Juergensmeyer.

A memorial service to be held Friday November 13 at 1:00p.m. at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 227 East Rosemary Street in Chapel Hill, followed by interment at Old Chapel Hill Cemetery on Raleigh Road.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her name can be made to the North Carolina Botanical Garden, UNC Chapel, Campus Box 3375, Chapel Hill NC 27599-3375.

Arrangements are with the John M. Taylor Funeral Home in Annapolis, Maryland and the Hall-Wynne Funeral Home in Durham, North Carolina.