Visitation for Geraldine E. Potaniec, 90, of Palatine, will be held Monday, February 27, 2023, from 9:00 am until the time of the Funeral Mass at 10:00 am at St. Thomas of Villanova Catholic Church, 1201 E. Anderson Drive, Palatine. The Interment will follow at All Saints Catholic Cemetery, Des Plaines.
Our dear mother, Geri, peacefully passed away on February 20, 2023, after a long and fulfilling life. She was a wonderful mother who was always available when we needed her. She also had many friends and was a well-loved member of the Palatine community.
She was predeceased by her husband, Edmund Potaniec; father, Carl Miller; and mother, Estelle Miller.
Geri is survived by her children, Michael (Barbara) Potaniec and Steven (Elizabeth) Potaniec; grandchildren, Shelley Potaniec (Andy Stohl), Kathy Potaniec (Ryan Snellings), Kelly Deviney (Trey Deviney) and Kyle Potaniec; and great-grandchildren, Rylee, Molly and Tommy Deviney.
Geri enjoyed her working career for many years at Alexian Brothers Hospital. Following her retirement, she also volunteered for several years at Twice Blessed Thrift Shop. Wherever she went, she made many life-long friends. Geri was an avid Chicago Sports fan. She loved Cubs Baseball, auto-racing and Bears Football. She was quite thrilled to watch the Cubs win the 2016 World Series. In later years she read many books. In particular, she was most fond of her bird watching books. She enjoyed, daily, watching all the birds visit her on her patio.
In lieu of flowers, donations are appreciated in Geri’s memory to The Buddy Foundation (animal rescue), https://www.thebuddyfoundation.org/, the American Diabetes Association, https://diabetes.org/, or the American Cancer Society, https://www.cancer.org/.
My dearest Geri with a heavy heart our condolences to your family rest in peace my friend
We worked together we laughed together tears and so many memories you gave to us all
Will miss you but happy to know you are with your lovely husband hugs Barb Mike and rest of you all she was bless by having you all around our proud strong friend to us love and peace David and Carmen Harcourt 🙏🙏
Geri was a wonderful neighbor for the over 24 years we lived Nextdoor to her. My boys were 6 mos old and 2 yrs old when we moved in and they are 25 and 26 now! Geri stepped in as a substitute grandparent for grandparents day several years during elementary school. She happily allowed them to run in her sprinkler when they were toddlers!! She and I greatly enjoyed spending time sitting on her patio and watching my pups run around her yard when the days were warm. We just texted on the Friday before she passed and it’s still hard to believe she’s gone. She was dearly loved and will be greatly missed by our family. I will always think of her when I see a cardinal and believe she’s just popping in to check on us every time I see one.
I was a caregiver to Miss Geri for years that’s what i called her. We had many conversations about her pets her birds her books and friends and how she loved them all. You will be missed my friend. Rest in peace my friend.
In the year and a half I had the privilege of visiting with Geri as her care “Angel”, I came to know her as a fun, outgoing and compassionate person with many loving family members and friends. Her recollections of her time working in the hospital made me hope that I bring that same compassion and empathy to my role as a caregiver. While Geri was sometimes frustrated by the difficulties of aging, she always remembered how blessed she was to have AMAZING family and friends that made her life so rich and rewarding in spite of her being widowed way too soon. To those close to her, take comfort in knowing how happy you made her in life…she spoke so fondly of you all. I’ll miss visiting Geri and hearing her hearty laugh, and I’ll remember her always.