Geraldine Isabel Avery

Geraldine Avery was known by different names by many people. She was called "Jerry", "Geri", "Mrs. Avery", "Sergeant", "Grandma", "Aunt Gerry", and "Mom". She was a mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and a great-great grandmother.

However you referred to Geraldine we are here for a celebration of a long and beautiful life well lived. Geraldine Avery was born in Kingston, New York on June 5, 1923, to Joseph McDonald Smith and Helen Viola VanDerzee Smith. She was a graduate of Kingston High School in Kingston, NY and attended Hunter College in New York City.

During WWII she was employed as a Journeyman welder at the Bethlehem Steel Yard on Staten Island. In 1944, during World War II, Geraldine saw a poster recruiting welders for the Bremerton Naval Shipyard in Washington State. By November of 1944, she and eleven other young welders were on a train bound for Bremerton, Washington and the Puget Sound Naval shipyard. Due to a need for welders at the Kaiser Shipyard the twelve welders were requested to go to Vancouver, Washington. There Geraldine worked as a master welder.

In 1944, Geraldine met Luther Avery at Kaiser Shipyards. In 1945 Geraldine and Luther were married, and moved to Vanport. There they had two sons, Luther Jr. and Michael. On May 30, 1948, a 200ft. section of a railroad berm holding back the Columbia River collapsed. Vanport was underwater by nightfall.

By the 1950's the family had expanded to welcome daughters, Yvonne and Diane. By the early 1970's Geraldine and Luther transitioned to separate chapters in their lives but remained good friends.

In 1953, Geraldine took the Civil Service Exam for the position of Police Matron at the City of Portland jail. She passed the exam, placing second on the eligible list. Despite this, Geraldine was passed over twice. After being passed over the second time, she decided to file a complaint with the Labor Relations Division, State of Oregon who in turn brought this to the attention of the Portland Police Chiefs, and in 1954, the Portland Police Bureau hired Geraldine as the first African American Police Matron in the City jail, located at 2nd and Oak.

In 1970 the City of Portland had decided they wanted the Police Bureau out of the jail business. The male officers assigned to the jail division were given the privilege of forfeiting the requirement of Police Academy training by being grandfathered into new assignments. Geraldine and other police matrons read in the paper they would be out of a job. She thought this was unfair, and when the police union refused to help, she brought a sex discrimination lawsuit against the city. Initially she was alone in this, but soon all the police matrons joined the suit. While the lawsuit was being decided, the other police matrons were assigned to the Multnomah County Jail at Rocky Butte. The Director of the Adult Probation Division requested that Geraldine be assigned to his office as a Probation Officer.

In 1973, Geraldine was asked by the Juvenile Probation Division to become a part of a new Federal pilot program called Case Management. She became the first African American female case manager in Oregon. It was also in 1973 that the lawsuit was decided in her favor.

In the mid-seventies, Geraldine returned to the Adult Jail system as a Multnomah County Corrections Officer. In 1980, Geraldine Avery closed out her distinguished, trailblazing career in law enforcement and retired with the rank of Sergeant.

Geraldine worked many long hours in her career but always made time for her children. Many weekends were spent on family outings to Lost Lake fishing and camping. She was a Cub Scouts Den Mother and active in the PTA. She was involved with her children's sports programs as a volunteer. She made the best brunches, and her apple fritters were legendary. Geraldine had an incredible sense of style and taste. She could shop at high end stores, but her favorite place was The Cottage at the old Goodwill where she volunteered. She loved going to antique stores, and secondhand shops. She was a bowler and a golfer. In her later years, she took up oil painting and took classes in pottery and stained glass making. She traveled around the United States, Europe and the Middle East. She had a wonderful sense of humor and could hold a conversation on any subject.

When you asked Geraldine how she was, she always replied, "I'm blessed". We were all blessed to have her in our lives.

She is survived by her son, Luther Avery Jr., daughters, Yvonne Alexander and Diane Avery; granddaughters, Tonya Alexander, Sonya Blake, and Deidre Avery; grandsons, Bryan Avery and Cameron Avery; numerous great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, VanDerzee cousins, and many wonderful friends. Her beloved son, Michael, preceded her in death in 2021 and his ashes will be laid to rest alongside her.

The family of Geraldine Avery requests that in lieu of flowers donations be sent to “Meals on Wheels People” in memory of Geraldine.