Geraldine "Geri" L. Foley

Geraldine "Geri" L. Foley, a cherished matriarch and vibrant spirit, passed away peacefully on May 7th 2025, surrounded by her beloved daughters after a short illness. Expressing to the end that she never “wanted to be a burden to her children” and that she never was.

Born on April 25, 1932, in Rochester, New York, the oldest of seven children, Geri was a force to be reckoned with. She was a woman of strong will and conviction, never shying away from expressing her opinions or speaking her mind. Her tenacity and fierce love for her family shaped the lives of those around her.

Throughout her life, Geri found joy in keeping a beautifully decorated home and taking care of her family. In her younger years, she was known for her love of entertaining, often hosting our Viennawood neighbors or our extended family. The memories we have of her are endless and priceless with her “stories” that would raise many an eyebrow. She was always a “doer”, with her boundless energy, even as she aged. She was so much of a doer that in her last few years with her hearing failing, if someone said something she couldn’t hear, she would always respond with “do what?”

Her proudest accomplishment in life without any doubt, was her family, she embraced being a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother with an open heart. Geri is survived by her loving children, Donna and Stephen McDonnell, Michael and Cathy Foley, John Foley, Lisa and Jamie Potts, and Lynne and Chris Fors. Her legacy continues through her grandchildren: Stephen and Kerry McDonnell, Caitlin and Michael Hedges, Meghan and Joe Cahill, John and Samantha McDonnell, David and Caitlin Foley, Emily and Nick Kaijala, Nick and Amelia Foley, Van and Katya Potts, Henry and Jane Potts, Mitch, Sally, Colin and John Fors as well as her great-grandchildren: Poppy, Molly and Emery McDonnell, Charlie, Jane, Emma, and Bridget Hedges, Quinn and Jack Cahill, Mae and Jamie McDonnell, Remington and Rory Foley, and Tate and Abigail Geraldine Kaijala.

Geri also shared a special relationship with her siblings and their spouses: Ted and Pam Laveck, Patsy Flansburg, Sandy and Dan Huff, and her sister in law, Paula Carruthers. She was a treasured aunt to many nieces and nephews, who held her close to their hearts.

She now rejoins her beloved husband, John J. Foley, and her dear sisters and their husbands, Carolyn and Alex Volta and Helene and Richard Miner, her brother, John F. Laveck, brother in law, Frank Flansburg, and the Foley brothers and sisters in law, all of whom left a lasting impact on her life.

Her Funeral Mass will be held at St. Louis Church, 64 S. Main St., Pittsford, NY, on Thursday May 15, 2025, at 9:30 AM. 

Private interment White Haven Memorial Park.

Geri's vibrant spirit, unwavering strength, and unconditional love will forever remain in the hearts of all who knew her. She will be missed but never forgotten, as her legacy lives on in the cherished memories shared by her family and friends.