Geraldine “Gerry” Crawford Nease

Nease, Geraldine C. – On September 25, 1940, Geraldine (Gerry) Crawford began her life in Union County, Florida, the second of five children born to the late Ray and Zeluan (nee Croft) Crawford. She was raised on the family farm where everyone worked together to grow tobacco and raise cattle, along with other activities to support the family. It was here that she came to know Jesus through the Midway Church of Christ and was a founding member of the Lake Butler Church of Christ when Midway merged and moved to town. She graduated from Union County High School in 1958, then trained to become a bookkeeper and worked for the VA Hospital in Lake City.

A Georgia boy named Gene Nease came to the family farm to cruise timber, and after meeting everyone else in the family, he finally met Gerry. The two fell in love and married on February 27, 1965. In April 1966, they moved to Columbus, Georgia for the next three years, where they welcomed their son, Eric, before moving to Tucker, Georgia. Gerry focused her efforts on raising Eric, running the home and supporting Gene as he worked for Georgia Power and when Gene was involved in leadership roles in the International Society of Arboriculture and as an elder in the Stone Mountain and Decatur / Northlake churches of Christ. During this time, they traveled through many parts of the United States and spent many holidays and other times with family, either back at the farm or the North Carolina mountains. One special trip was over 6,500 miles of driving in 1983 as far as Yellowstone National Park and included Gerry, Gene and Eric along with Ray & Zeluan (Daddy Ray & Nana).

She returned to bookkeeping in the 1980s, first at her sister’s dress shop, Custom Corner, in Lawrenceville, GA. After her sister moved back to Florida, she worked for Glass, Etc in Tucker, then a flooring company and a developer/homebuilder before retiring.

Gerry was a wonderful cook, with a foundation based on what she learned from her mother, then expanded through trading recipes with friends. Throughout the 1970s and 80s, a lot of her cooking was based on vegetables along with beef and pork that came from the farm. The family would spend several weekends each year, back at the farm, harvesting vegetables or meat.

In 1998, Gerry finally got a daughter, when Eric married Lori. The four of them were able to travel together some, including trips to Williamsburg and back to the farm, before grandchildren began arriving. Unfortunately, in 2005 leukemia took Gene from her and at the same time she was diagnosed with colon cancer. During this period, the family, and especially the grandchildren provided Gerry with the incentive to continue, resulting in her being pronounced cancer-free in 2008. She delighted in spending time with the grandchildren, on trips, at the farm or mountains, or just at home. In 2017, she and Lindsay Brooke took a trip to Italy with the Latin Club and when Landon graduated, she decided she was done traveling and had Eric and Lori take him on his high school trip to the College World Series in 2022. The family also began worshiping at the Buford Church of Christ during this period, and she was excited for everyone to move into a new house together in Buford in 2018, which provided her more time and encouragement from Eric, Lori and the kids.

Somewhere during this time, she began to be impacted by dementia, although not formally diagnosed until a few years later. As her disease progressed, the family was able to spend a lot of time together and still travel some, including beach trips, both boys playing baseball at Cooperstown, wrapping up the second trip at Niagara Falls and many more trips to the farm or NC mountains. As the older children became old enough to drive, they would chauffeur Gerry (who they called Grana) to any place she wanted to go, especially restaurants and shopping.

Although dementia ended Gerry’s life on earth on October 12, 2024, we know that Jesus has provided her with eternal life and reunion with loved ones who have gone before her.

Gerry was preceded in death by her husband of over 40 years, Eugene T. Nease (2005), her parents, Ray (2002) and Zeluan (2014) Crawford, her niece Shelly Crawford, brother-in-law John Johnson, all of Gene’s siblings and their spouses, Julius & Betty Nease, Effie & Jenneman Walsh, Thomas & Betty Nease, Dorothy & Will Joyner and Virginia Nease, as well as Gene’s nephew Thomas Walsh, Jr.

Survivors include son & daughter-in-law, Eric & Lori Nease, grandchildren, Lindsay Brooke, Landon, Luke & Landry Claire all of Buford, along with her brothers and sister, Ralph & Mary Lou Crawford of Treasure Island, FL, Larry & Kathy Crawford of Woodstock, GA, Don & Brenda Crawford of Midway, GA and Janet Johnson of Treasure Island, FL. In addition, she is survived by one nephew and four nieces in the Crawford family and six nephews and one niece from the Nease family, along with many great-nephews, great-nieces and even a few great-great-nephews and great-great-nieces.

The family wishes to thank all that have helped, visited, and prayed for Gerry over the years. Also, thanks go out to the staff at Phoenix Senior Living of Braselton and Agape Hospice who cared for and loved her during her final months. Their compassion helped us make it through these last few months.

The family will receive friends and family on Thursday evening, October 17, 2024 from 4-7pm at Flanigan Funeral Home in Buford. A private graveside service will be held Friday morning at Gwinnett Memorial Parks, and a Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, October 18, 2024 at 4pm at the Buford Church of Christ ( Chaatham Road1135 Chatham Road, Buford, GA 30518) , with brother Ike Reeser officiating. The family will receive friends afterward.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Gerry’s memory to Georgia Agape (www.georgiaagape.org).

To express condolences, please sign our online guest book at www.flaniganfuneralhome.com. Arrangements By: Junior E. Flanigan of Flanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Buford, GA (770) 932-1133.