Gracious, talented, intelligent, sociable, spiritual, well dressed, well mannered are some of my descriptions of Gerri.
We moved onto the same street in 2006. We didn’t meet them right away because they were on a trip to the Galápagos Islands. They always went on such cool trips. She introduced us to a lot of people in the neighborhood and stake. She was well known and loved in the neighborhood as well as at church. One neighbor told me that for their Red Hat Ladies group she organized a trip to the San Antonio Temple Open House. She played Bunco with several neighborhood women. She was a wonderful hostess, a great cook and especially a good dinner roll baker. Card playing was one of her skills. When we played cards with her, she had to keep repeating instructions to me, a very inexperienced player.
Gerri served as Sonterra Ward Music Chairman so we did a lot together. One of my first callings in Sonterra was ward choir director. Choir practice was at the Woodward’s house. She also accompanied me when I did some violin solos. We did piano duets a few times. She actively recruited people to share their musical talents for intermediate hymns for Sacrament Meeting and other special activities. A talented musician, she sang in choir, played the organ, accompanied people, kept the choir music and taught piano for decades. I’m sure there a pianists all over the country who got their start by taking lessons from her.
I was her visiting teacher off and on. I learned a lot about her family during my visits. Over the years, I was able to meet all the children. Her family was so important to her. She was willing to help when needed, I pray for comfort to the Woodward family at the loss of Gerri, especially since it’s so soon after John’s passing.
