Gerry was born on September 28, 1946 in Cleveland, Ohio to Paul Richards and Patricia Follansbee, then was adopted by her stepfather, Frank Van Eiszner. She graduated from Centerville High School in Dayton, Ohio and became a licensed cosmetologist. In September 1967, Gerry met the love of her life, Michael “Mike” Mastrangelo, and they married on January 13, 1968 in Dayton. For 30 years, Gerry was a proud Army spouse who followed her husband through eleven assignments stretching from Hawaii to Germany. She was an avid sports fan who spent many years as the Commissioner for the Metropolitan Baseball Umpires Association in Maryland; a doting grandmother fondly referred to as “Nina”; and, an obsessive “watcher” of The Hallmark Channel.
Gerry was preceded in death by her parents. She leaves behind Mike, her loving husband of 53 years; sister Clarane and her husband Bobby of Enterprise, AL; brother Donald and his wife Kathleen of Kettering, OH; sons Michael and his wife Michele of Orlando, FL, and Dominic and his fiancé Tracey of Leander, TX; daughters Patricia and her husband Michael of Katy, TX, and Therasa and her husband Christopher of Leander, TX; and, 18 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.
Gerry was a beloved wife, mother and grandmother who always placed others before herself, even in her final days. She will be greatly missed by all.
The Mastrangelo family would like to give special thanks to the staff of the Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital as they cared for Gerry with the utmost respect, compassion and dignity.
A visitation will be held between 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM on Wednesday, January 20, 2021 in the chapel of the Katy Funeral Home, 23350 Kingsland Blvd., Katy, TX 77494.
A funeral service will be held at 10:30 AM on Thursday, January 21, 2021 in the chapel of the Katy Funeral Home, 23350 Kingsland Blvd., Katy, TX 77494. In accordance with County COVID-19 related restrictions, the funeral home will permit only 100 attendees.
The family will attend a private graveside service at the Houston National Cemetery, 10410 Veterans Memorial Dr., Houston, TX 77038.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Gerry's name to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9182, 6202 George Bush Dr., Katy, TX 77493; or, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at www.stjude.org.
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