Mrs. Geraldine K. Phebus, age 88, of Blairsville, Georgia, passed away Sunday, May 13, 2007, at her home.
Mrs. Phebus was born Sunday, May 26, 1918, in Baltimore, Maryland, a daughter of the late George Grau and Anna Knop Grau. Mrs. Phebus moved to Blairsville in 1972. She was a member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Blairsville; St. Williams Catholic Church in Murphy, North Carolina and Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Silver Springs Shores, Florida. Her husband, Mr. Oliver B. "Ollie" Phebus, Jr., passed away in 1985.
Gerry was a legal secretary for the law firm of Choate and Sinclair in Miami, Florida. The Honorable Emmett Choate was appointed Federal Judge for the District of South Florida and Gerry continued as his personal secretary, along with longtime family friend and Blairsville resident Lorena Mathis Long, until she retired in 1968. Gerry always enjoyed, and was quite persuasive, arguing the law with anyone, including some of the best lawyers and judges in the profession.
She loved sports, including golf and football; reading, playing cards, bird-watching at Lake Nottley and spending time with her family, including her 3 children, 7 grandchildren and her great grandson. Gerry was a member of the Chatuge Shores Golf Course in Hayesville, North Carolina, and Silver Springs Shores Country Club in Silver Springs Shores, Florida, where she played golf regularly with her late husband Ollie until 1985, and with her friends and family until 2006.
Surviving family members include three children and their spouses: Oliver B. "Skip" Phebus, III, and Ann M. Phebus of Gainesville, Georgia; Charles Bernard "Bernie" and Jean P. Phebus, of Boca Raton, Florida; and Kathryn Ann Phebus Jones and Jeffrey P. Jones, Sr., of Alpharetta, Georgia and Blairsville; a sister, Dorothy Martin, of Baltimore; Seven grandchildren: Alexandra Phebus Tibar, Charles Phebus, Jeffrey P. Jones, Jr., Meredith A. Phebus, Jason Phebus, Lawrence O. Jones and Laura M. Jones; Great Grandson, Jasper Zane Phebus also survives. Many nieces, nephews, and other family members and friends also survive in Florida, Georgia, and Maryland.
Memorial Mass is scheduled for Saturday, May 26, 2007 at 10:00 am at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Blairsville, with Father George Kloster officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contibutions be made to The Regency Hospice of Northeast Georgia, P.O. Box 494, Hiawassee, Georgia 30546 (706) 896-1251, or to your local hospice.
Arrangements entrusted to Cochran Funeral Home and Crematory of Blairsville.