Geraldine Gwen "Casey" Hill

Some memories -- my bud, Geri . . .

Geri and I met at the Scotts Valley Baptist Church in 1961 when I was 15 and she was 17. She had a crush on my brother, Bobby, and that is how she and I met.

On Sundays, after church, we'd either go to her house or she'd come to my house -- so she could be with my brother. Her mom and dad were very strict and they weren't too keen on her spending time, possibly alone, with my brother. So I'd chaperone LOL Well, I'd do about as good a job as a real friend would do!

When we went to her house for the afternoon, we'd sit at the piano and play, while eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Then in the evening we'd go back to church for youth group and then evening church.

We did so many things together over our lifetime. I'm sure I can't think of them all at this moment, but maybe in time I'll add more memories.

For now, I remember going on a lot of church outings together, snow conferences, parties, trips, we both went to the Sweetheart Banquet (she with my brother, and me with a boy named Rollin). We were very involved in the church: Sunday School, Sunday worship, evening youth group, evening church, choir practice and prayer meeting on Wednesdays.

We both sang in the choir. During choir practice AND during church, we'd pass notes and always get in trouble and have to be separated. But then we'd pass notes through other people, and I can't believe they helped us LOL

I remember how one day we decided we were going to ride our bicycles from Felton to Santa Cruz up Highway 9 (very spooky road). I can't believe we did that. But we trucked along, and rode all the way to the beach and Boardwalk. We realized, however, that it was getting dark and there was no way we'd ever get home on time. I called my dad and he came and picked us both up, with our bikes, and took us home.

We spent time walking through the Henry Cowell Redwood State Park in Felton, talking about boys. LOL -- and my brother! I don't think I ever talked about my brother so much as when I was with Geri! :o)

We'd spend days during the summer at a pool (don't remember the name of it).

She was my bridesmaid, I was hers. We got together with our babies and shared fun times. We both lived in Ben Lomond at the time.

Her move to Arnold, and our move to Redding, separated us for a while, but we stayed in touch via snail mail -- wasn't any email then!

When we moved from Redding to Petaluma, and she was still in Arnold, she would come and visit me and stay about 3-4 days each time. It was a long drive -- about 4 hours. I knew she loved me if she would drive that far, ALONE, just to visit. I loved having her company.

Geri & her crystal ball at the Sonoma Winery

We would find different things to do, go to Bodega Bay and spend a few hours on the beach, take a drive to the wineries in Sonoma County (that's where this picture with the Crystal Ball was taken). I never laughed so hard. She saw that thing and decided it would be a crystal ball, looked into it and began to tell our fortunes! I love that picture. That was who Geri was -- always being sweet and silly. But we could also just sit and do nothing and still enjoy each other's company.

Our visits were like slumber parties -- for two. We'd do all the girlie stuff: paint toenails, talk about boys, laugh and giggle like a couple teenagers. And she was my ONLY EVER audience while I played classical music on the piano. She loved it. I had never played in front of anyone, and still don't (and can't), but with Geri, she didn't care if there were mistakes; heck, she didn't even hear them. All she heard, according to her, was beautiful music.

She would sit on the couch and write while I played -- she loved to write -- about anything and everything. She always said my music inspired her. And I'd read what she had written, and it was so beautiful. I wish I had her writings -- but then, I'm sure her daughters and sons will appreciate reading them again one day, when they have the strength -- I'm not sure I ever would.

She had a bookstore on eBay and spent a lot of time selling books. I believe she did pretty well too. She'd pick up old books at yard sales or flea markets. A couple of times she found some real treasures -- like a very old book that had personal writings in it, and she located the owner and just gave him the book. I guess it belonged to his mother or some family member -- I don't remember the specifics. But Geri told me how good she felt giving back a book to someone who was so pleased that she had found it.

I designed a website for her book store and then surprised her. She was so happy with her website! It will disappear on line now, because there is no one to sell her books. It was her own little book business -- that she did all by herself. But I am going to keep her site on my server, in her memory, for as long as I'm still alive. Geri's Book Closet

I will miss her with all my heart and soul. But one day I will see her again because she is with the Lord -- she's seen her mom and dad now who she loved and missed with all her heart, and she's seen my mom and dad who loved her and she loved them, and ohhhh myyyyyy she's met Jesus. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE! She was God's faithful servant! Her pain and suffering is over and there will be no more tears. She is at peace and happy. But my heart is breaking. It will every time I think of her, every time I see her face, every time I look at this website and remember.

I'm so sorry for her family's loss -- and mine. This has to be devastating for them. It was too sudden and not expected. May God Bless all of the Hills, and may they keep their faith in Jesus so that one day they will see their mom again -- she is counting on all of them to be there with her.

That's all for now. I'm beginning to feel a little weepy doo thinking about Geri, my bud, so I'll close. There were times when we communicated a lot, and other times when time would pass without communication, but I never stopped loving my bud, my lifelong best friend. I just always thought she would be here. I never thought she would one day be gone -- so suddenly. I will miss her so much knowing that I can never see her again on this earth. But I will meet her again in Heaven -- one day -- when it's my turn.

* * * *

A dream I had on either Friday, or Saturday evening: I've never dreamed about Geri -- ever. But this night it seemed to last all night, even though what I remember was very brief. I even woke up in the morning and told my husband how I'd had a dream about Geri that seemed to last all night. I remember standing in a room seeing Geri outside. The door was ajar and I was looking out the small space. Someone reached inside the door and turned out the light. I was then standing in the dark. Geri was walking toward her car, with her daughter Kandy, and even though her back was to me, I could see her face and she'd been crying. She was so sad as Kandy helped her get in the car. I was frozen where I was standing and could only observe. I remember feeling such sadness.

It was a couple days later that I was informed by a friend, who knew Geri, that she had died on Friday. I was shocked -- and then the dream came back to me. I think Geri was trying to say goodbye. I missed my last opportunity to hug her and say goodbye.

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