Dr. Geraldine Ramona Hastings Anderson
October 16, 1920 – March 27, 2010Dr. Geraldine Ramona Hastings Anderson was the eighth and youngest child born to the late Alice Sims Hastings and Sylvester Varick Hastings of Tuskegee, Alabama.
She completed her primary and secondary education at Chambliss Children’s House and Tuskegee Institute High School. She received her Bachelor and Masters degrees from Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University). Geraldine started her teaching career in the Tuskegee public schools, public schools in Alabama, Georgia, and Tuskegee Institute before she received her Doctor of Education degree from Pennsylvania State University in 1964. She did
Post-doctoral work at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.
Geraldine was a dedicated and devoted teacher at Grambling University from 1953 to 1982. Upon the retirement of Fidelia Adams Johnson (Mama Fi), she served as the Department Head of Home Economics until her own retirement.
She was a member of Lewis Temple Methodist Church and later united with Mt. Olive Baptist Church after her marriage to Melvin Anderson. She was affiliated with several organizations including Teacher Retirement of Grambling and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. She organized the Bowling for Seniors and also the Young-at-Heart Line Dancing group. She was a member of the church’s Senior Choir, Mission Ministry, Esther Circle and the Senior Citizens Choir.
The last five years of her life were spent in Houston with her daughter, grand daughter and her family. Gerry made many new friends at her Houston home, The Abbey Westminster Plaza where she was know as “Dr. G”.
Geraldine is predeceased by her parents, her seven siblings, and by her husband, Melvin Anderson. Her memories will forever linger in the hearts and minds of her daughter, Darlene Hailstark Williams, her granddaughter, Ruby Duncan (Daryl) and her three great-grandsons, Caleb, Cayman, and Cade, all of Houston, Texas. Her nephews are Calvin Sylvester Powell (Ernestine) of Grambling, James Earl Foster Jr., and Richard Taylor (Azzie) of Alabama. Nieces include Carolyn Earline Bivins, Cynthia Gayle Taylor, Mignon Foster, Rita Taylor, Adrienne Henry (Casey), all of Alabama. Also remembering her are nephews Lawrence Hastings, Jr. (Juliette) and family of California, Eugene Garrett of Ohio, niece Dionne Barber (Raymond) of Michigan and a host of friends.
Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family on Thursday, April 1, 2010 from 4 – 6 p.m. at Memorial Funeral Home in Arcadia, LA.
The celebration of her life will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, April 2, 2010, at Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Grambling, LA.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: VITAS HOSPICE CARE
921 Gessner
East Tower – 8th Floor
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